Multi-tasking does NOT work

Just type "Multitasking studies" into Google and you will find that there are many studies over the years that confirm it doesn't work. So why do you still try to do it? Because only really intelligent and capable people can do it? I don't think so. I think, based on my own experience, that multitasking makes you less productive. Instead of trying to type an email while I'm in a meeting and at the same time I'm also working on an Excel Spreadsheet I prefer to do these tasks sequentially. The reason is I can't focus on the meeting, email and spreadsheet at the same time. I get so distracted that I don't do anything well because it's hard to decide which task to focus on. What works better is to effectively schedule your time so that you can jump from topic to topic. Do the meeting first, then the email and then the Excel Spreadsheet. It will actually save you time. Also don't take on more than you can handle. Most Management personnel I've worked with over the years will go along with this approach as long as you can communicate your challenges well. When you work on your next tasks schedule your time effectively and categorize your tasks instead.

Task Categories

• Dump it --> task is not urgent and not important
• Delegate it --> task might be urgent or important but you are not the best person to address this
• Defer it --> task is not urgent but might be important. You need more time to analyze this
• Do it --> task is urgent and important

Effective Time Management

With all the distractions through our "always on" and "always available" culture effective time management becomes more important than ever before. There are many good books out there (e.g. First things first from Steven R. Covey)  to help you get better at it. The real challenge is to use the knowledge from these books consistently to manage your time effectively. If you don't think about how you use your time chances are high that you try to do everything haphazardly just to find out it doesn't work. Or you don't focus your time on the right tasks. Isn't it easy to spend just a little too much time on your iPhone/Blackberry, Internet (e.g. Facebook, linkedin) etc?

Whatever you do requires your energy, if you run a project or if you spend time with your partner. Since time is limited and energy is your most important resource you want to manage these precious resources wisely. Think about what is important to you and make time for these tasks.  Here are some things I consider useful

• Do NOT always be available. Set clear time limits and stick to them.
• Delegate tasks, especially in areas where you are not that strong. Why would you spend more time than absolutely necessary to get from less than average to average?
• Focus on the areas where you are strong, because when you are already good at something and spend even more time to refine the skill you become a linchpin and you can add even more value
• Make a Priority list of tasks (personal and business) to make sure you spend your time on the things that are important to you
• Focus on your areas of influence, everything else is a waste of time.

Focus on the Bottom Line

Most Projects are measured by what is delivered at the end. What is the bottom line of your project? What is the Return on Investment? Are you increasing revenue, reducing costs or increase customer satisfaction etc? In any case, make sure that your project objectives are very clear in order to be successful. Also ensure that you  have some metrics in place to track the ROI. You want to be able to document and track your teams success. If you don't then you should think if this project is really needed or whom it is supposed to benefit. To build your reputation (as a Project Manager) you need to present results. Projects change all the time because of the typical conflict of time, cost and scope (triple constraint). Nevertheless you can't be everything to everyone and therefore you have to set priorities.
In order to become a trusted adviser to your stakeholders as well as your project team it has to be very clear that you walk your talk. This is critical and there are no excuses at any time to not adhere to this.
In an ideal case that means you and your team deliver what you said you will deliver on time. In a more common scenario this means you need to focus more on either time or cost or scope. This requires a honest discussion at the beginning of the project but will benefit the project.  Then execute and don't get distracted.

What makes you remarkable?

We meet someone new (e.g. new colleagues, customers, other parents) most days but how these people remember you? Do you have anything that makes you remarkable or memorable? If not, you are just another person they meet, greet and forget. You don't want to tout yourself or coming on too strong. So how do you make these first introductions meaningful? You need to have a remarkable story (unique selling point, elevator pitch) for yourself and that is NOT your job title or description. It also shouldn't be something average or fuzzy, like I'm the main contact person for Project Management related questions. This doesn't mean anything to most people so they probably will forget it quickly. You want to show what you are really great at and what your are passionate about. Think about how you remember people. What get's you interested? Can you put in some time and effort to do something similar for yourself? When you do it use humility and not arrogance and expect that even the best approach doesn't always work.

Clear Communication?

Clear communication is a challenge, isn’t it? As an example take the use of acronyms and general company slang you use at your work place. Here some easy examples: KPI, SLA, COTS, COB, COGS. Could somebody who is not familiar with your company grammar understand what you are referring to? Does everyone in your company understand what you are referring to? My guess is, probably not. What is even worse is that this “not understanding” is de-motivating for many people. For your company these ineffective meetings can become costly mistakes. Use this link to get a first idea how much money you might use ineffectively. Imagine what we could achieve if we could communicate clearly and with a strong passion to our stakeholders/customers. What are you doing to get better at it?

Are you an Innovator?

In Project Management (and many other professions as well) there are so many things to follow it's hard to find time and innovate. We get inundated with information from colleagues, the internet, magazines, blogs, interest groups (e.g. Linkedin), meetings etc so that it is impossible to grab and digest all the information available. In addition we use Project Management Methodologies that have the size of "War & Peace" from Leo Tolstoy and it requires considerable time to understand them. I think it is great that we have all this information but see a challenge how to best manage our time to find and use the available information effectively. And even more important, how to use all that knowledge and add something ourselves? I think we have to take a more active role on the innovation side. It's easy to get overwhelmed with information but there is lots of room for us to add real improvements.

After we acquired knowledge we want to use it. The delivery part is key here because otherwise it's just an academic exercise. To achieve real and lasting improvements we need big and small innovations and I'm confident EVERYONE can add some innovations. The question is do you want to contribute? Do you want to innovate? Are you ready to get involved, take ownership and be accountable for results? It won't be easy but it is worth the effort because you can lead the way instead of just following others.

You have to break the pattern if you want to invent something new, something extraordinary. This also means you can't just follow the path others made for you. YOU have to find a path for others. Look at  Google and Apple as corporate examples of innovation. They created markets out of nothing, they made the path that others follow. Do you want to do something, on a smaller scale obviously, as well?  Yes? Then you have to get ready for it and that is not going to happen if you just follow and execute a Methodology. Don't get me wrong I don't suggest that methodologies are bad but I suggest that YOU have to fill them with life and you want to add your innovations to them.
Here is the Merriam Webster Definition of "Innovation"

1. the introduction of something new
2. a new idea, method or device

Instead of trying to digest and use only existing information why don't you rely more on yourself and put in some effort to come up with some improvements you think will work? There will be challenges but if you really want this I can't see what is stopping you. You have to set aside some time and be prepared for some setbacks but it will be worth the effort. It's up to you to innovate, so what's stopping you?

Meeting Frenzy

Are you going from meeting to meeting? If you spend half your time or more in meetings then the question is really does it have to be that way? In general I expect it's fair to say that the bigger the company the more meetings you will have to go to. This is not a bad thing by itself since many processes and systems are complex. Therefore it is necessary to have meetings because in these meetings you can

• get everyone on the same page quickly instead of meeting with everyone separately
• you can get creative feedback from others to come up with a better solution
• use the opportunity to motivate team members
• build a team spirit
• save time
• and establish a leader

Now that is the case if everything runs smooth which is rarely the case, in most companies anyway. Many meetings are demotivating and in general seem like a waste of time. Based on my experience this is related to

• There is no clear Agenda for the meeting
• There is no clear objective for the meeting
• some people talk too much
• some people complain too much
• some people just like to shine (e.g. with knowledge that nobody can follow)
• no content leadership from the meeting organizer

This leads to many unhappy meeting participants. Now the question is what should you do to make this better. I think you should really think before you setup a meeting. Can the topic/issue be addressed by a face-to-face meeting, a phone call or a video conference with one person? Can you maybe address the question/topic yourself? If you have to have a meeting with a group it is essential to

• Setup an agenda for the meeting. How much time do you need for your meeting? Think about using a meeting cost calculator to see the high level cost for your meeting. Present the Agenda at the beginning of the meeting to ensure everyone understands what is expected.
• Setup a meeting objective. What do you want to get out of this meeting? Who is supposed to provide what?
• Which attendees do you need? Make sure you do not have every function twice or more. You are looking for accountability and that works better with 1 person.
• What pre-conditions need to be addressed before you can have the meeting?
• How can you make the meeting more interesting and memorable? If you always do the same things (e.g. presenting PowerPoints) it gets boring.
• Attention seems to decrease after 30-40 minutes (e.g. especially on phone conferences). So think about planning for short breaks.

Focus on your area of influence instead of trying to change others. You are responsible for your meetings and should review what works and what doesn't work in your meetings on a regular basis. A positive example will inspire others.