Downloaded 15 times
Uploaded byDavid Hanson
Managing Multiple Priorities
The document outlines strategies for effectively managing multiple priorities, emphasizing the importance of limiting multitasking, learning to say no, and understanding one's job and responsibilities. It also details interpersonal techniques for deflection, delegation, and time tracking, along with agile practices to streamline workflow and decision-making. Key concepts include prioritization, risk management, and communication methods to enhance productivity while managing distractions.
More Related Content
Similar to Managing Multiple Priorities
![[兰迪·波许演讲 时间管理].Randy.pausch.time.management.slides](https://cdn.slidesharecdn.com/ss_thumbnails/randy-pausch-time-management-slides-100912093031-phpapp02-thumbnail.jpg?width=640&height=640&fit=bounds)
Managing Multiple Priorities
- 1. Managing Multiple Priorities A mix ofpersonal observations and documented approaches for managing multiple priorities and distractions. David Hanson March 2020 Version 2.0
- 2. Topics 1. Multi-tasking 2. LimitWIP 3.Learning to Say No 4. KnowYour Job 5. InterpersonalTechniques 6. Deflect, Defer, Delegate 7. Teach to Fish 8. LogTime Spent 9. Track & Prioritize 10. Importance & Urgency 11. Escalate 12. Risk over Easy 13. Pareto Rule 14. Communication 15. Work Smart, Not Hard 16. Overloaded &Ticketing 17. Agile Practices 18. Observed Managers 19. Summary 20. Rocks, Pebbles, Sand 21. PomodoroTechnique 22. GettingThings Done
- 3. Managing multiple priorities is not multi-tasking Multi-tasking Studyafter study shows multi-tasking produces lower quality results • Important details are missed • Careless mistakes are made • Alternative options are not considered Multi-tasking extends timelines and delays value • Two tasks worked together maximizes timeline • Instead of completing one task in half the time Task switching adds incremental tax to the time required to complete the task • Adds minutes to re-focus from one task to another and back Successful “multi-taskers” Many managers and leaders have no choice but to “multi-task” Observe how they stay focused in a meeting until conclusion reached Observe how they ignore emails or cancel meetings to achieve a critical goal Observe how they delegate and solicit support Only 1 in 40 people can actually task switch effectively* * Supertaskers: http://appliedcognition.psych.utah.edu/publications/sup ertasker_ii.pdf
- 4. LimitWork In Progress Expected Effort:8 hours/task Task SwitchingOverhead: 25% Working in series 50% faster than working in parallel Parallel Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Effort Duration Task A 2 hours 2 hours 2 hours 2 hours 2 hours 10 hours 5 days Task B 2 hours 2 hours 2 hours 2 hours 2 hours 10 hours 5 days Task C 2 hours 2 hours 2 hours 2 hours 2 hours 10 hours 5 days Task D 2 hours 2 hours 2 hours 2 hours 2 hours 10 hours 5 days Average 5 days Series Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Effort Duration Task A 8 hours 8 hours 1 days Task B 8 hours 8 hours 2 days Task C 8 hours 8 hours 3 days Task D 8 hours 8 hours 4 days Average 2.5 days Stop Starting and Start Finishing
- 5. Learning to Say No Managingmultiple priorities is in large part learning to say “no” … No might not be “no” No might be “not me, but him” No might be “not now, but later” No might be “not me, but you” No might be “yes, if you help me” No might be “yes, if it’s OK with my manager” No might be “yes”, but “no” for something else And sometimes, no simply means “no” … while acting cooperatively.
- 6. KnowYourJob Source:ManagingYourPriorities, Leadership 2000,ZengerMiller Understand yourjob and your priorities Brainstorm your tasks and responsibilities Write your job title in the center Group related tasks together Evaluate the results Do others own some tasks? What gets in the way of your priorities? What aspects do you control? What aspects do you have no control? What actions can you take to gain control? Product Owner Role 20% story writing 20% strategic planning 20% business interface 20% research & teach 20% assisting team Scrum Master Role 20% blocks 20% process & metrics 20% IT interface 20% continuous improvement 20% assisting team
- 7. DiagramYour Job 7 Scrum Master CrossTeam Interface Facilitate Meetings Study Best Practices Manage- ment Reporting Provide Training Monitor Backlog Schedule Meetings CoachTeam Mentor Individuals Product Owner Proxy Know IT Processes CrossIT Interface Maintain Process Identify Blocks Resolve Blocks Manage Distractions Facilitate UAT Maintain Business Relationships AssistTeam When Behind Maintain Metrics
- 8. Interpersonal Techniques Source:ManagingYourPriorities, Leadership 2000,ZengerMiller SayWhen Why: Needto be honest when interrupted while working on your own priorities; enables cooperation while ensuring progress on own priorities When: Use when difficult to assert yourself • Person making request is manager • Don’t want to admit can’t do everything • Person won’t take no for answer • Person doesn’t know how busy you are How: 1) Listen attentively 2) Clarify how much time required 3) Decide whether you can handle now 4) If not, say so 5) If appropriate, suggest someone else 6) If can be deferred, agree to a time Learn More Why: Clarify expectations, gather task details, understand relative priorities to manage workload efficiently When: Use when taking over task from or assisting someone more experienced How: 1) Understand task and relationship to big picture 2) Clarify expected results and required standards 3) Agree on roles and responsibilities 4) Specify required resources 5) Review key points and understanding 6) Set date for early progress review
- 9. Interpersonal Techniques Source:ManagingYourPriorities, Leadership 2000,ZengerMiller Ask ForHelp Why: Asking for help shows willingness to give best effort, desire to fulfill commitments and maturity to know that you cannot do it alone When: Overloaded with too many demands How: Before the meeting: 1) Analyze current situation 2) List alternatives 3) Request meeting with manager, leader or co-worker At the meeting: 4) Explain the situation using neutral language 5) Discuss possible solutions 6) Agree to actions and follow-up Give It Away Why: Need to provide enough information to insure person delegated task will be successful When: • Spend time on higher priority task • Assign to someone on your team • Transitioning to another task • Supervising someone outside team • Orient new team member How: First check: • Preventing attention to higher priority? • Can someone else master? • Are others qualified and available? • Sufficient time to transition and execute? If doesn’t pass check, but is recurring: • Identify and line up candidates • Break down and delegate a piece Follow How outlined in Learn More, but in reverse
- 10. Manage, Don’t Do Myinterpersonalextensions Deflect, Defer,Delegate Deflect I don’t think I know that as well as my former colleague I need to run to a meeting, but support can help with this task Sounds like a data issue, did you ask the data team? You know, my junior colleague just learned this Defer I’m really busy right now, but I have time later today or tomorrow Sure I can help, but that will require some time, can you send me an invite When do you need it? Delegate Does another team member have bandwidth? Does a co-op or intern want to learn? Here’s my opportunity to pass along something else! Delegating to the floor… Bait & Switch Invest in the long-term FairTrade Sure I can help. Can you help me (now or later)? Sure I can help, but first I need… Teach to Fish Are they likely to come back? Maybe best to show them how to help themselves. Is someone else likely to need help? Maybe if you teach someone else, there will be a bigger pool to help. Where to Fish For faster response, next time, contact support and escalate to me Best if you ask my manager who’s best to help out Self Help What did you try? Did you try this and that? I’d google this or that, if I were you
- 11. TrackTime Spent Source:ManagingYourPriorities, Leadership 2000,ZengerMiller Wonderwhere the time goes? Never get to important tasks? Unable to complete anything? Frequently interrupted? Derailed by shifting priorities? Spend a day or a week logging every activity Log start time & time spent on each activity Clearly note interruptions Rank: Important, Urgent, Routine,Wasted Comment how time could have been managed Analyze distribution of activity type and interruptions Could interpersonal techniques be leveraged? Are there patterns? Time Activity Spent Type Comment 8:30 AM Timesheet, Calendar, Scrum 20 min Routine Log time weekly? 8:50 AM Read some email 25 min Routine Time well spent? 9:15 AM Attend Scrum 20 min Routine 15 min should be enough 9:35 AM Review prod issue 25 min Interrupt: Urgent Do I need to know? 10:00 AM Chatting 10 min Interrupt: Wasted 10:10 AM Review notes for business meeting 15 min Urgent 10:30 AM Business meeting 35 min Important Ran long 11:10 AM Emailed actions 20 min Important 11:30 AM Read more email 50 min Routine Time well spent? 12:20 PM Lunch 20 min Routine 12:40 PM “Work” and eat 20 min Wasted Not focused while eating 1 PM Prepare weekly status report 80 min Important Might less be more? 11
- 12. Track & Prioritize Value &Urgency Track and prioritize for yourself Consider both the value and urgency of tasks Weight value over urgency Take on the valuable and urgent ASAP Take on the moderately valuable and moderately urgent as time permits Avoid the least valuable and least urgent Escalate Escalate to your manager to prioritize or assist Perhaps your manager is asking, but fails to recall all that has been asked and remains outstanding Show him your top half dozen or dozen tasks Come prepared with problems and possible solutions Ask for help! Value High Medium Low Urgency High 1 3 6 Medium 2 5 8 Low 4 7 9 Key ASAP If Time Avoid
- 13. Relative Priority Risk OverValue Projectrisk more important than business value Especially during early phases of project Critical to drive down technical and business risks Don’t focus on risks with low likelihood and impact Risk measures likelihood and impact Low Hanging Fruit Low effort if drives down project risk or delivers high value makes sense Otherwise low effort yields little benefit and acts as distraction Persistent focus on low hanging fruit can divert attention from strategic goal Persistent focus on low hanging fruit can lead to draining resources Likelihood Likely Moderate Unlikely Impact Major Moderate Minor Risk High Medium Low
- 14. Low Effort Paradox Pareto Rule: 20%effort yields 80% results Low hanging fruit may lead to sub-optimal solution Sometimes initial investment required to achieve better outcome
- 15. BlockTime RecurringTime Block timefor routine email late morning and late afternoon Block time for quiet hour at start or end of day to complete routine or priority tasks Block time weekly or bi-weekly for recurring priority, ideally close to deadline Set office hours for recurring distractions OneTime Block afternoon for urgent and critical tasks Block time for self and others Cancel other meetings to clarify priority
- 16. Communication Weaponsofmassinterruption forinstantmiscommunication Outlook Set expectationthat email read same day or within 24 hours, but not ASAP Use when not urgent, otherwise use instant messaging When email chain reaches 6 back and forth schedule a meeting Copy those that need to know and spare the rest Remove yourself from unneeded distribution lists Turn off email pop-ups Insure Subject title relevant State your point or your ask in first sentence Leverage Rules to organize and filter email Problems: Email consumes increasing portion of everyone’s day Generally read as LIFO; no effective, simple prioritization More and more email goes unread or only skimmed Messaging Set expectation that instant messaging interrupts and should be important and urgent Use when urgent, otherwise send email If message not clear, pick up the phone or walk to their desk Invite others and share desktop when it makes sense Leverage “do not disturb” if need to focus Meetings Prepare ahead of time Invite those that need to attend Come with set agenda Get to the point, stay on point Reach conclusions, summarize actions Start on time, end on time Mobile Put away or silence personal cell phones
- 17. WorkSmarter, Not Harder LeanTools Voice ofCustomer: tool for identifying requirements Who, What, Why, When, Where 5 Whys: tool identifying for fundamental root causes Ask “why?” repeatedly (until blame management) Fishbone: tool identifying for multiple root causes Man, Material, Machine, Method, Mother Nature, Measurement, Management 5S: tool for organizing work & work environment Sort, Straighten, Shine, Standardize, Sustain Types of Waste: tool for identifying waste DOWNTIME: Defect, Overdone, Waiting, Neglect, Transport, Inventory, Motion, Excess A3 Problem: tool for solving small problems Single page, big sheet Theme, Problem Statement, Current State, Root Cause, Hypothesis, Target State, Expected Benefit, Roadmap, Reflection Value Stream Map: tool for identifying value & waste Value Add, Non Value But Required, Non Value Cycle Time = Activity Time + Wait Time SIPOC: tool for flowcharting process Supplier > Input > Process > Output > Consumer Brainstorming: tool for identifying creative options Lean Process CustomerValue - Ask the Right Questions, Solve the Right Problems - No More, No Less Value Stream - Build RightThing, BuildThing Right - Maximize Work Not Done Flow - LimitWork In Progress - Manage Workflow, Not Schedules Pull - Just InTime or Last Responsible Moment - Learn First, Fail Fast - Start Small, Scale Fast (RUP) - Think LongTerm,Act ShortTerm Perfection - Pay Attention to the Details - Don’tTolerate Defects - Quality Reduces Cost & Schedule
- 18. Modern Work Practices Overloading Ticketing Overloading SometimesEfficient Projects, teams and individuals overloaded with too many tasks Goal: value added work will be completed and non-value added work will be eliminated Side Effects: successful projects and teams renewed; unsuccessful projects and teams cancelled or disbanded Success largely determined by value delivered Ticketing Usually Inefficient Modern ticketing systems create a bureaucratic barrier to entry Goal: encourage individuals to learn workarounds and manage tasks themselves Side Effects: individuals live with inefficiencies; long backlog of inventory; tickets move but issues are not resolved When effective, acts as Kanban queue; best when supported by single team
- 19. LeverageAgile LeverageScrumRoles,Events, Artifacts SimpleCollaborationRules Scrum Product Ownersets priorities Scrum Master owns blocks Team Members volunteer to help each other Daily Scrum notes activities and distractions Sprint Backlog limits work in progress Sprint Backlog tracks all work Blocks, Impediments, Obstacles, Distractions all the same Collaboration Team Member empowered to assist, when request likely < 1 hour and confident can meet daily scrum goal Report as block in daily scrum Scrum Master empowered to solicit assistance, when request likely < 1 day and confident team on track to meet sprint goal Log as impediment and report in scrum of scrums ProductOwner empowered to set priorities, when request likely > 1 day or may jeopardize sprint goal Product owner should assess urgency and importance If important, then log as work item and groom If not urgent, then prioritize for future sprint If urgent, then work with team to swap work item
- 20. Good Enough Agile Time Boxing Agileleverages time-boxing which promotes good enough, as opposed to perfection Sprint duration is fixed, so need to decide in Sprint Review if story is good enough, as opposed to just one more thing Spikes are time-boxed to fixed amount of effort; at the end of the effort conclusions must be drawn, else commit to another spike in next sprint Sprint events are all time-boxed Lean NonValue Add But Required Lean recommends that non-value added but required activities be minimized Do just enough to get it done «Il meglio è l'inimico del bene.» The best is the enemy of the good. Voltaire, 1770
- 21. Observed Practices & Principles Past Manager Managersand leads should expect to “multi-task” 70% Rule reserves 15% for distractions (and 15% for leave) 20% lead’s bandwidth reserved for strategic planning 20% team’s bandwidth reserved for IT priorities Queueing theory: working at or near capacity exponentially slower Observed practices when something important & urgent: • Works from home • Cancels meetings • Delegates routine work • Stops reading email • Pairs with SME My Practices Prioritization: Importance: 3-Must, 2-Should, 1-Could, 0-Won’t Urgency: 3-Now, 2-Soon, 1-Later, 0-Never Rank = 2 * Importance + Urgency - 9, 8 ASAP - 7, 6 time permitting - 5, 4, 3 wait - 2, 1, 0 drop Principles: • Maximize work not done • Simplest thing that could work • Procrastination leads to efficiency • Do what you know you need, not what you think you need • If worth doing, worth doing right, else not worth doing • Managers ask twice if they really care • Good faith estimate, multiply by p
- 22. Managing Multiple Priorities Not multi-tasking,more about saying “no” Know your job and your priorities Leverage interpersonal practices: Say When (Defer), Learn More (Accept), Ask for Help (Escalate), Give It Away (Delegate), Suggest Who (Deflect) Teach to Fish, those that learn to fish can feed themselves Track time spent for self assessment Prioritize weighing importance and immediacy Risk >Value > Urgency > Effort Pareto Rule and Low Effort Paradox Block time on your calendar Respect your and others time when communicating Work smarter, not harder; leverage Lean techniques and principles Modern workplace overloads, forcing efficiency, and tickets, creating bureaucracy Leverage your product owner, scrum master, team members and team rules Consider your manager’s expectations when managing multiple priorities
- 23. Rocks, Pebbles, Sand 23 General Adding wateris possible, but might lead to drowning…
- 24.
- 25. Outline realistic goalsfor 2 hours (e.g. morning or afternoon) in 4 half hour increments on notepad Work in 30 minute increments; set 25 minutes for focused work and 5 minutes for reflection & recap Work 4 consecutive 30 min increments; then take 15 to 30 min break for distractions & relaxation Set timer while working to reinforce highly disciplined, focused technique; stop when time runs out Check goal complete at end of Pomodoro with or mark incomplete with if unsuccessful During Pomodoro, quickly note distractions, then resume focused effort; don’t stop! Do not allow any disruption whatsoever during the 25 minute work window - Educate your team and those around you - Set Do Not Disturb in Communicator and turn off Outlook’s email message popups During your extended break, answer distractions, talk to others, take a break - Communication and unrelated topics may trigger brainstorming - Quiet reflection and day dreaming help creative thinking Breaks down work into small tasks with measurable goals - If task incomplete, may need to roll to next Pomodoro or postpone to next Pomodoro set - Track distractions as Inform, Negotiate, Schedule, or Call Back Stages of planning, tracking, recording, processing, visualizing are fundamental to the technique Requires high degree of discipline; discipline usually results in productivity and predictability Using timer creates physical stimuli that reinforces mental focus & discipline (think Pavlov response) If “in the zone” may warrant longer focus periods; works well when pair programming Pomodoro Technique Noveltechniqueforfocusingwork andmanaging distractions
- 26.