Making Your Team Count

Priorities & responsibilities in harmony

Katie, manager for a CPA and accounting firm located in Lake Oswego, told Session 8B of Turbo Leadership Systems' Leadership Development Lab (LDL):

"Utilizing the new time management techniques from the LDL has positively affected the way I work. About a year ago, we restructured the way the clients each of us are responsible for get assigned. My responsibility increased from 30 to 200 clients who I am accountable for. Then, a few months later, I was also promoted to manager.

"This responsibility didn't all hit at once and I didn't have to take over client-communication for each project but it was a big change in the nature and scope of my job. I quickly realized in this new role that lists were my friend. I made multiple lists: a list for the things I needed to do, a list for things I needed to rack, and a third list for things I needed to assign.

"However, I found that making my daily list did little to give me comfort over my ability to get the work done. In fact, my instinct was to "hightail-it" down the road to Starbucks after completing my list in the morning. After a few sessions of the Leadership Development Lab and reading Making Moments Matter, I realized that the reason my list was not helping was that I was not prioritizing.

I made a list of items, in no particular order. Then, after starting on it, I would inevitably stop one task midway through and start another. Because I did not have priorities, I would often allow other people to dictate my schedule. So, I realized I had to do something. I added a new step to my daily process of updating my "to do" list. After making my comprehensive list, I would then prioritize the top 3 tasks. Then, leaving a space, I would prioritize the remaining tasks below that. This has gone a long way to helping me chart a successful course for my work day. I find that I am no longer jumping between projects. I am able to maintain my priorities for my work, and give accurate projections for when projects will be complete. This has gone a long way toward me being the reliable person I am committed to being.

"What I have learned from my new approach to managing my day is that a list is not a plan. A list is only a plan when it is properly prioritized.

"The action I call you to take is to organize your priorities - at work or in your private life, be intentional about your process for maximizing daily achievements.

"The benefit you will gain is that you will squeeze a full measure from every moment of your day, you will feel in control and be proud of your achievement."