Conquering chaos at work Strategies for Dealing with Disorganization and the People Who Thrive in it Dr. De Hicks SCGI

1. The Right Things
The Right Way
Conquering Chaos at WorkConquering Chaos at Work
Strategies for Dealing withStrategies for Dealing with
DisorganizationDisorganization
and the People Who Thrive on itand the People Who Thrive on it
Presented by Dr. De Hicks, CEOPresented by Dr. De Hicks, CEO
SCGI Performance ManagementSCGI Performance Management
Consulting for LeadersConsulting for Leaders

3. Other People’s Disorganization
Symptoms:
 Increased frustration when others are disorganized
 Avoidance of “certain people” because they create chaos
 Increased workload whenever “they” agree to help
 Hyper-organizational skills applied by you whenever “they” are
involved
 Increased blood pressure and sweaty palms
 Decreased sense of humor (unless you are a master at
sarcasm)
 The desire to clean every surface in your life
 Increased lying. (The meeting starts at 6, but you tell them it
starts at 5; moving deadlines, etc.)
Do you suffer from
OPD?

4. What do you know for sure
about working with people who are
disorganized and chaotic?
www.despair.com

5. Let’s be careful now…

6. What have you learned about
transforming chaos into order?
At least three types of folks:
 Situationally Disorganized and Chaotic
 Chronically Disorganized and Chaotic
 Professionally Chaotic

7. Thriving on Chaos:
Recognize the “attraction” to the panic
 Chaos has its “benefits”
 It makes something seem more important
than it is
 It makes someone seem busier than they are
 It makes movement seem like work
 It makes work feel like results
 It fosters the illusion of power
 What else?

8. Characteristics of the
chronically disorganized
 Accumulates large quantities of objects, documents, papers or
possessions beyond apparent necessity or pleasure
 Has difficulty parting with things and letting go
 Has a wide range of interests and many uncompleted projects
 Needs visual “clues” as reminders to take action
 Tends to be easily distracted or lose concentration
 Often has weak time management skills
 Seems most comfortable when surrounded by clutter and chaos

9. More Characteristics of the
chronically disorganized (at work)
 Poor sense of time
 Missing or misplaced files (paper or computer)
 Tardiness or absence from meetings
 Inability to find things and frustration when asked to look for things
needed now
 Missed deadlines
 Difficulty making decisions
 Vague with instructions and does not press for clarity when given
instructions
 Frequently loses calendar or planner or doesn’t have one at all
 Not surprised when organizational issues brought up in work
evaluations
 No (or multiple) filing “systems” in use.
 Piles, piles, piles.
 Frustration and defensiveness when others try to “invade” personal
chaos

10. Decisions
Disorganized people often
have difficulty making decisions
 One choice: Yes or No to YOU
 Two choices: Yes or No to Options
 Three choices: Yes, which one?
 Four or more choices: Lock up!

11. NEED Identified
PLAN Created
Plan
IMPLEMENTED
Work EVALUATED
CELEBRATION
Enhancing the Pay Off for Organization:
The Completed Work Cycle

12. Helping Disorganized People
(who want help)
First, remember…
 We do what we do because it works for us.
 We make work work for us (work is personal)
 Words are not actions.
 Corollary: Plans are not deliverables
 There’s a time for change and a time when change
is not possible
 Corollary: the one who needs to change is the one
who feels the pain
 Food for thought: Focus on getting what you need rather
than changing what they do

13. Hold people accountable
for results not for effort
 Package information for the DP: A series of
individual communications is easily lost.
Place all of the information related to an issue
in one spot. Make it stand out.
 Allow extra time. Don't wait until the last
minute to request information, a meeting, or a
report.

14.  Focus on the positive. It is working
somewhere. Your disorganized colleagues
may have superb skills and excel in areas
other than organization. Don't become
preoccupied with their weaknesses. Use
Appreciative Inquiry.
 Identify motivations. Sometimes
disorganization hides an underlying problem
or concern.

15.  Be clear about what you need. Be direct and frank about
the effect that the disorganization has on you. Ask about
ways you can assist him or her in getting items to you
promptly.
 If you're the employer, a single conversation or
suggestion is not as helpful as setting up a three-month
plan in which you'll check on progress every Friday.
 Use the OIC Tool when addressing this challenge
(whether you’re the supervisor or not).

16. The OIC Tool

Observed Behavior
 Interpretation of the Behavior
 Creation of “Reality”; Confirmation

17. Types of Chaos
(but they all feel the same)
 Time Related Chaos: Created because the work
doesn’t fit into the time (as currently managed).
 Memory Related Chaos: Created because one
relies too much on memory.
 Communication Related Chaos: Created because
we think we are good at communicating
 Information Related Chaos: Created when we think
information is the same as knowledge

18. Tools for Change
 The rule of one
 The principle of Systems and Leverage
 Focus on Results, using the “so that” bridge
 Agree about interests rather than positions

19. Leverage: What one thing will I change as
a result of today’s conversation?