Give Yourself & Staff a Performance Booster Shot

I get letters from all over.  I decided to share a note from one of my favorite bankers who is dedicated to professional development - for herself, as well as her team.  She learned to use the weekly report in my Supervisor Boot Camp a few years ago.  I am passionate about utilizing a weekly report.  Not everyone shares my passion but everyone who uses one knows the value of it.  Here's how I teach it. 

Every Friday by 3 PM, everyone turns in a weekly report to their supervisor.  It's basically an outline with the current date and the name of the individual completing it.  The outline contains   three headings, Accomplishments, Problems and Plans.  Under each heading, you list bullet points or key factors that are important to remember or vital to communicate to the boss.  The manager is to create one as well and share with all his/her direct reports.  The Weekly Report ensures communication and it provides tracking and accountability for both parties.  When I receive an employee’s weekly report, I like to write directly on it, offering my responses, copy the report and give it back to my employee.  Now we both know that we both know what went on that week.  

Here is what my friend, the banker sent me:

I have been using the weekly report with my staff since last year.  I have seen a decrease in what is in the reports and even them skipping completing them.  What suggestions if any would you have to re-stress the importance of the content and completion of these reports- outside of the obvious that I require it?

Here was my response:

Are they doing a "to do" list every day? 

I have always reminded my team that the "to do" list and calendar are the perfect tracking tools for pulling together the weekly report.

Manage by walking around and ask to see their daily to do list every day or every other day.  If they don’t have one, help them create one on the spot.  A to do list helps you focus and prioritize.  Helps you to not waste time or forget what needs to get done.

Ask them to do a quarterly summary (right now this week you could ask for a “first six months of 2013 summary”) of the their weekly reports and self-assess how well they think they did with regard to planning, problem solving and getting goals met and stuff done. Nothing is more motivating than to see what progress you’ve made or need to make!

Remind them the report is for them.  It empowers and enables them to track their success, to provide them accountability, credibility and planning.

The key to success is having a plan and executing it.  Act like a turtle.  Stick your neck out when you have to get where you are going.  Slow and steady.  Pull back occasionally, stay headed in the right direction, watch out for getting run over and you will get to where you are trying to go!   Learn to read the signs for when you need to step it up and when you need to kick it in gear and have a sense of urgency.  Responsiveness and persistence will pay off.  

Managers remember this; develop a culture that supports learning. Demonstrate by your actions that you believe continuous learning is vitally important. Invest some of your budget dollars in training and education. Consider a reimbursement plan for courses employees take through local colleges. Allow employees to click here to continue reading Ten Techniques for Developing Others!

Still learning,

Honey

Six Simple Solutions to Saving Time

Where does the time go?  How often do you think that?  If often, read on.  Time is like money if you don't have a plan for it, and, if you don't stay in close touch with where it went, you will run out of it. We all have the same amount of time every day.  How you manage it can make the difference in every aspect of your life from your health to your happiness.  From your work life to the most important relationship you cherish.  From achieving goals to staying stuck for way too long.

1.  Calendar - your calendar tells you where you need to be because you have entered every appointment you have in it with your pencil.  You need a system that houses your calendar.  I use a 7-ring notebook from Franklin-Covey that is in an 8 1/2 x 11 format.  In that notebook is my calendar and sections of other key dividers.  Dividers such as Meeting Notes, Coaching, Projects in Progress, etc.

I use my Outlook calendar to keep up with meetings I have arranged and it reflects appointments or out of office information of others.  But my true one and only calendar is the one in my system.  I check my Outlook calendar against my notebook calendar every day and "sync" them.  At the end of each month, I review my upcoming appointments in Outlook against my notebook calendar.

Your notebook goes where you go.  Never leave your home or office without it.

2.  Daily to-do list - make this life altering list the evening before or the morning of so you can think through what you have to do and what you want to do.   Your to-do list is much like your check register.  The entries are withdrawals of various amounts of time each and every day.  Your list is maintained in your notebook, in your system, so where you are supposed to be and what you need to get done match up. 

3.  Prioritize - now that you have reviewed your calendar and made your to-do list you have to plan the order of things on the list.  To the left of each item on your list mark it an A, B, C, or D.

A = must be done by noon

B = must be done by 6 PM

C = must be done by bedtime   

D = delegate it to someone else

Next, estimate how long the task will take and write the number of minutes to the right of the task.  Now you are building a picture of what and when.  

4.  Stay in the real world - you can't get any more time in a day but you can make the most of the time you have by staying in reality about how long things take.  Look over your calendar and to-do list again as you plan your day and make the necessary adjustments so you reduce your stress and ensure your priorities and commitments are met.  When you prioritize and list the order and the time it takes for each task you will see if you have to adjust the order or even move some tasks to the next day.

5.  Fuel - energy is the key to being productive.  Watch what you listen to, who you hang out with, what you eat and how much rest you get.  If you rely on caffeine for fuel it will become counterproductive.  It is an appetite stimulator and gives you a false sense of energy.  Protein, water and fruit are excellent sources to maintaining energy.  Walk, meditate and feed your mind positive reinforcement.  Routinely, look back over your calendar and to do list for habits and disciplines you can delete or add that will increase your energy level.

6.  Fun times - you need things to look forward to.  Add something fun to your calendar every day.  If you enjoy reading, then take a coffee break with your book.  If you have someone that makes you laugh make an appointment with them for a ten minute phone catch up.  If you enjoy a TV series you never get to watch then once a week watch it on your tablet or laptop for lunch.  Make a slide show of photos of your favorite people, put music to it and watch it once a month wishing life's greatest blessings are bestowed on those you love.

I love living a full life but I want it to be productive and as balanced as possible.  If that is what you want then incorporate these six solutions into your life’s savings plan!

Still learning,

Honey

On the Job is a Juggling Act

You know the challenges that come with juggling your time on the job!  Meetings here, there and everywhere, paperwork, phone calls, employees, customers, email…the list goes on and on.

Here’s a few time management tips that will help you to not drop the ball and decrease your stress level!

 ü  Everyday make a list of what is to be done

·         If you don’t know what you should be doing, how can you manage your time to get it done?

·         Plan for the unexpected

·         Some people like writing this list out by hand because it shows commitment to each item.

·         Others like software that helps to slice and dice their to-do list into manageable, relevant chunks.

·         What on the list needs to be done first?  Second, etc.?

·         Put a time estimate by each item

·         Do a reality check – where do you need to make adjustments?

ü  Retrieval is everything

·         Are you wasting time looking for items on your computer and your desk?

·         Organize a filing system and routinely file lower the stress of too much stuff not being where you can find it

·         Remember FDR  when you open a document on your computer or review paper on your desk

o   FILE or DISCARD or RESPOND

ü  One calendar – only one

·         More than one calendar in your life puts your reputation and your time at risk

·         Use a pencil if your one and only is a paper calendar

·         Key point – your to-do list is about what needs to get done, your calendar is about when it gets done

As a juggler learn how many balls you can keep in the air at one time.  Sometimes you have to say no or delegate.  Stay tuned on how to say no and how to delegate.

Still learning,

 Honey