Posts Tagged ‘Managing’

When asked what their biggest challenge is, many managers say that getting everything done is what they struggle with most.  One of the major differences of being a manager is that you are no longer just responsible for one or two things.  You need to manage a varied workload as well as people and resources.  So what are the 5 top mistakes managers make when it comes to managing workload and what should they do instead?

Mistake 1: Failing to focus

The first mistake managers often make when it comes to managing workload is failing to focus on managing.  This is often more of a challenge for those that have been promoted within the same organisation to a management role.  If you are a manager you are no longer measured just on what you do but on the results you deliver through others.

Solution: Make a point of allocating a proportion of your time specifically for managing and get crystal clear on how your performance is measured.

Mistake 2: Not delegating

Delegating tasks and responsibility is often something managers find tough to do.  It might be that they were let down in the past and are reluctant to try again.  It is important to remember that if you avoid delegating you give a message to your staff that you don’t trust them.  How would you feel if your boss gave you a message that he or she did not trust you?

Solution: Identify tasks that can only be done by you and those that can be delegated.  Once you have identified those tasks that can be delegated, find the best person in your team to do the task and delegate it to them.

Mistake 3: Not being willing to say no

You want to be seen as someone who is helpful – don’t you?  The real question to ask yourself is whether you want to be regarded as the person who always offers to help but rarely delivers.  As a manager you need to know when you can commit and when you cannot commit to something.  It is better to say and explain your reasons than to say yes and not deliver.

Solution: Always be clear on what you have to deliver in the weeks ahead and how long it will take so that you can clearly identify what capacity you have to take on additional work or projects.

Mistake 4: Not planning

Failing to plan is planning to fail.  You would not go travelling without a plan or try to make something without a plan.  So why would you leave your productivity and effectiveness to chance by not planning?

Solution: Plan your workload for the month, week and day and ensure that you focus on your priorities.

Mistake 5: Being too accessible

Many managers talk about having an open door policy.  At the same time, you need to be careful that your open door policy does not become a constant interruption policy.  When this happens you start to lose huge chunks of your time, put the delivery of results at risk and put yourself under real pressure.

Solution:  Have designated times when you are available to deal with problem issues and people issues and schedule this time in your calendar.  When issues arise outside of this, make sure that the issues really do require your immediate attention.

Bottom Line – Mastering workload management will set you apart from many managers and help you deliver results.  So what action do you need to take to better manage your workload?

If you are a manager you are probably trying to keep a whole host of tasks and projects moving forward at the same time.  You probably know that you could achieve more if you were to delegate more.  In my experience managers often come up with a whole host of reasons for not delegating.  I wonder if you recognise any of the following:

 

“I don’t have time to delegate”

 

“If you want a job done right do it yourself”

 

“It takes too long to delegate, I could do it quicker myself”

 

“I tried delegating once and I was let down by someone else”

 

Chances are you have heard one or more of the above, many times.  By not delegating, you are probably experiencing some specific costs or consequences.  It might be:

 

1.                  Continually staying late at work

 

Maybe you find that you are the person who is always first to arrive and last to leave.  If that’s you, chances are that you could benefit from delegating more.

 

2.                  Missing key deadlines

 

If you are finding yourself always delivering things at the last minute or even worse missing deadlines completely, it might be time to take stock of what you are doing that you really should pass to others.

 

3.                  Feeling stressed or under constant pressure

 

When we start to feel stressed or just constantly under pressure it impacts on our ability to take decisions, solve problems or focus on the bigger picture.

 

4.                  Poor performance rating

 

If you are in a management role, a large part of how your performance will be assessed will be on how well you manage.  If you are focusing all of your time and energy on doing rather than managing, chances are you will be poorly rated.  This might mean no pay increase or your job being in jeopardy.

 

So what steps would you take to improve your delegation skills?

One of the key roles of anyone who is managing is to get results through others.  To get others to deliver results for you, it is vital that you motivate them.  Managers often believe that pay and rewards are the key things that motivate people.  Without doubt pay and rewards play a part of motivating people you manage but contrary to common belief, they are not the primary motivators of the majority of staff. 

The truth is that is often things that cost little or nothing which motivate.  For example:

• Saying thank you when people have put in extra effort
• Praising people when they have done a good job
• Offering opportunities to acquire new skills or experience

What do you find is most powerful when it comes to motivating others?