Manager Tools

Part 2 of our updated guidance on how to gradually implement The Manager Tools Management Trinity (One on Ones, Feedback, Coaching, and Delegation). When managers try to implement all the tools all at once it can end in disaster. Most of us can only learn one new significant skill at a time. And that goes for our directs, too: they're learning along with us. This process for implementation will ensure success in your roll out.

This cast describes how to gradually implement Manager Tools’ Management Trinity (One on Ones, Feedback, Coaching - and Delegation!).

We’ve been asked a thousand questions about what to do and when to do it when it comes to the Management Trinity, and we’ve finally gotten frustrated enough to do something about it. We assumed that [...]

Part 1 of our updated guidance on how to gradually implement The Manager Tools Management Trinity (One on Ones, Feedback, Coaching, and Delegation). When managers try to implement all the tools all at once it can end in disaster. Most of us can only learn one new significant skill at a time. And that goes for our directs, too: they're learning along with us. This process for implementation will ensure success in your roll out.

Part 2 of our 2-part series on managing conflict when your directs are involved.

What do you do when you're in conflict with a peer... and your directs become involved? What's interesting here is that we all ought to know that if we ARE in conflict with a peer, our directs ARE involved. Our directs know who among our peers are our allies, and who we don't align well with. Our directs make choices, perhaps subtle, but choices nonetheless, that can add to our tensions (yes, even if we tell them not to).

Mark recently blogged with our first ever management koan, "What Would An Effective Manager Do?" In this cast, we share the answer.

If you've ever had to deal with two of your directs fighting about something, this is the cast for you. Mark likes to say that "the definition of conflict is two human beings in the same COUNTY." If that's true, then 500 or 1,000 or 5,000 people in the same organization is not just 'a conflict waiting to happen', it's conflict guaranteed to happen.

Time management is a fallacy. Time doesn't need you to "manage" it - it's been getting along just fine without you for billions of years. We can't manage time. What we CAN manage is what we do with that time. And yet, the overwhelming evidence is that professionals and managers do NOT "manage what they do with that time."

Time management is a fallacy. Time doesn't need you to "manage" it - it's been getting along just fine without you for billions of years. We can't manage time. What we CAN manage is what we do with that time. And yet, the overwhelming evidence is that professionals and managers do NOT "manage what they do with that time."

Today, we cover the second in a two-part series of podcasts on Time Management. If you're new to the show or you didn't listen to last week's podcast, it's probably worth while going back and listening to the previous show first. Otherwise, you'll be joining the conversation half-way through and we all know how comfortable that feels. :-(

We recommend 4 1/2 steps to analyzing your use of time

Roughly Assess Your Time - absolutely *no* materials other than pen and paper allowed!

Capture Your Priorities

Do a Rough Analysis

(part b, only for the truly committed) - Do a "Drucker" Analysis

Put Your Number One Priority on Your Calendar

That's it! We walked through steps 1 and 2 last week, today we cover the remainder.