2. Session Objectives
• Better understand the need to set priorities
• Focus on importance, not urgency in time
management
• Recognise that effectiveness requires
balancing relationships, roles, activities and
quality of output
• Understand the value of periodic assessment
of tasks
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4. The Purpose of Setting Priorities
• Priorities are about:
– Making time to attend to important
matters
– Getting tasks done
– Keeping track of tasks to monitor
progress
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5. Time Management
• “Try” versus “Make” time.
• “Don’t have the time” versus “Making
a priority”
• 80% of results come from 20% of
your activities
• About 50% of your time is out of your
control
• Multi-tasking is not an effective use of
time
8. Importance versus Urgency
• Habit 3 in Stephen Covey’s list for highly
effective people “first things first” is about
setting priorities.
• The underlying principle is the need for
balance in relationships, roles and
activities.
– Things which matter most should not be at the
mercy of those which matter least.
– Focus on the truly important and say no to the
unimportant.
9. Importance versus Urgency
• To determine priorities one needs to
review:
– Roles
– Goals
– Tasks
• Consider weekly reviews since daily
gives a limited view and too many
things change in a month.
10. Importance versus Urgency
• Roles
– Organize all that you do by roles
• Enables a view of balance and comfort level
– Roles represent responsibilities and
relationships
– Examples
• Family – spouse, parent
• Work – projects, administration, training
• Volunteer – ASME, Church, Scouts
11. Importance versus Urgency
• Goals
– Consider big picture view things
that need attention
– Set one or two each week that are
likely to have the most impact
12. Importance versus Urgency
• Tasks
– “To Do” Lists
– Organize by roles
– Evaluate with integrity
• Consider “Toggle” method
– Focus on one or two until
completed
14. Challenges in Setting Priorities
• Understanding goals and expectations
• Triage list of all tasks and determine “must
do” items
– Break up big tasks
• Scope
• Timeline
• Relationships – consider involving others in
completion of efforts.
15. ASME Perspective
• Tasks
– Programmes, events – leading, delegating,
communicating, etc.
– Running meetings – make meetings effective
– Administrative duties – budgets, forms, updating
rosters, etc.
16. ASME Perspective
• Example Tasks
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Accessing unit financial information online
Submitting updated rosters for unit committees
Scheduling meetings, creating agendas,
conducting meeting
Planning programs (sections) / developing
Products and Services (division and sections)
Delegating / recruiting volunteers to carry out
programs
Creating a strategic plan for the unit
Identifying /nominating candidates for Honors &
Awards, filling out necessary paperwork
18. Summary of Key Points
• Importance matters more than urgency and
should be the basis for actions
• Time management is about making time for
important activities
• Planning, execution and reflection are important
to achievement
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Speaking Note Tips:
Introduce yourself and establish your “credentials” - your ASME experience, especially as it relates to the session content.
As an intro to the session, answer the question “what’s in it for me?” for the attendees (i.e. how is the session content important to the participants, for their jobs and for ASME?)
Speaking Note Tips:
Are the objective overtly stated? Are they stated in terms of skills the participants will gain & behaviors for them to practice?
Ask how many participants think they can already achieve some of these - and adjust your approach accordingly
To clarify expectations, it’s important for participants to understand the levels of mastery desired – mention any reference materials, pre- or post-reading materials, people and resources available to help them practice & become proficient at the skills & behaviors stated in the objectives.
Speaking Note Tips:
Relate the information in the session to what participants already know.
Refer to any previously introduced or related content (e.g. plenary or other LTC sessions, pre-reading material).
Ask if participants already know ‘prerequisite’ concepts, and acronyms and vocabulary you plan to use, and explain if needed.
Explain any unique features of the session.
Speaking Note Tips:
Consider including a brief exercise or pop quiz/questions at the end of each section of content presented.
Match the exercise / quiz to the session objective and the skill to be developed.
Speaking Notes Tips:
Give an example that extends the application of the information into practice.
Ask for questions; encourage dialog and allow answers to come from the participants.
