IN THIS MONTH'S ISSUE:

1. Time Management Tips For a Great (Rest of) 2011
2. Information About Workshops
3. Links to job openings, local reference meetings

10 Provocative Questions to Ask Your Senior Executive Sponsor (second in a 2-part series on increasing your value to senior management)

We're now half way through 2011--hard to belive! How well are you doing in achieving your personal and professional goals for the year? If you're not where you want to be--or you want to get even better--here are some tips for you. Items marked "NFTFOH" are "not for the faint of heart"!

• (NFTFOH) Problem: You have hundreds of emails in your inbox. Some have been there for weeks.

  Solution: Delete them all. (If someone really needs something from you, they'll email you again. If other emails contain rally critical information you need to save--you wouldn't have left it sitting in our inbox pile in the first place).

• Problem: Someone's trying to put a "monkey on your back." You know this has happened when you're talking to someone and when the conversation ends, you suddenly have been given something to do (and not by your boss--we'll get to her in a moment!). A colleague might ask, "Would you mind resending those reports--I can't find where I put them." "Would you get everyone together (for a meeting that he, not you, need to have)?"

  Solution: Say "No." Or if that's too abrupt for you, try "No. I'm afraid I'm booked solid for the day."

• Problem: You're feeling overwhelmed with all you have to do.

  Solution: Focus on today. Divide your tasks into three areas: things you can get done quickly, short term projects, and long term projects. First, get the things you can get done fast out of teh way first--it will "clear the clutter" from your day and energize you. Then take the short-term projects, and prioritize them. Take the long-term projects, split them up into manageable chunks, and prioritize those. Then tackle the top parrot short term project today, along with the first 'chunk" in your top priority long-term project. Put the remaining short term projects and long-term project "chunks" into you calendar. You'll end the day with a sense of accomplishment, control, and momentum.

• (NFTFOH) Problem: Your boss is overloading you. For example, he comes in at 2pm and gives you an urgent project to do before you go home that day.

  Solution: Say this: "Sure, happy to help. Here are the two things I'm working on that will take until the end of the day. Which one should I set aside?" If he says, "I need you to figure out how to get them all done." then he's not doing his job--which is to make such decisions. So stick to your guns. "I'm sorry, I can't do all three. Which two shall I do?"

• Problem: You have a colleague who talks your ear off.

  Solution: You have to deal with this. Your time is your single most valuable resource, and if you allow others to waste it you're cheating yourself and your firm. So develop strategies to end this nonsense, and use them: Let calls go to voice mail (you shouldn't pick up the phone throughout the day anytime it rings). In situations where you do encounter "talkative Sally" (on the phone, in the hall, etc) and she launches into long windedness, say "Oh hi Sally, I can't talk right now I've got to make a phone meeting." Or, "My phone is vibrating, I have to take this call," and excuse yourself.

• Problem: You have a colleague whom you must work with, who talks your ear off with pointless conversation.

  Solution: Set a clear agenda at the start of any meeting with him. Set a time limit and stick to it (if you're advanced, DON'T set a time limit and tell yourself beforehand you'll end the meeting after no more than 20 minutes). Develop strategies to control the conversation and appeal to his self-interest. "Ted, may I interrupt you here (you'll probably never be refused with this request). If I understand, you've got 2 concerns we need to address: find more customers who'll do case studies with us, and speed up the approval process for these, correct?" Or, "Ted, I'm sorry, my fault, but I'm lost here. It sounds like there are 3 concerns we need to address right now: etc."?

All the best,

Bill Lee, President
Customer Reference Forum and Customer Strategy Group
Author of the forthcoming Harvard Business Review Book, The Hidden Wealth of Customers

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