Of course – not having enough time can often be indicative of other problems – perhaps you’re not being managed effectively by your own manager, or the business processes you’re working to aren’t as effecient as they could be (in which case you might think about arranging some Business Process Management training or Six Sigma training).
However – there are some small, useful, practical things that all of us can do to try to make the best use of the hours in our working day.
Here are 29 practical time management tips for coping with interruptions and obstacles which may get in the way of being a good time manager…
There’s nothing more daunting than being promoted to a management role. All of a sudden you’re responsible for the effectiveness of a team rather than just your own work, and you’re expected to make decisions that can have a big impact.
In this short video our trainer explains how we teach Decision Making skills on our Management Skills for New Managers Course. She provides us with her 3 Decision Making tips and we see her in action with a group of delegates:
“I thought the Management Skills course was really excellent and thought provoking, and I learnt a lot. In particular, I think the trainer was excellent. She imparts knowledge, gets everyone involved and makes participants think and learn through this process. She also is obviously hugely knowledgeable in her field and has practical experience in what she discusses.” Philip Wilkinson – Business Link for London
“You can’t solve a problem with the same mindset that created it.”
One of the hardest things about being a manager is managing yourself. Over 140 delegates per year come through our public Management Skills for New Managers training course here in Brighton, and before we teach them about managing a team we first cover a range of techniques for managing yourself .
One thing we’re often told by attendees is that they find it easier to give advice to other people than to think about their own approach to problem solving and to give themselves advice.
This short article describes a simple but highly effective 3-step process to reaching objective solutions for yourself. Visit our Free Resources section for a range of other Management Skills Resources and Leadership Resources
What Advice Would You Give?
To quote Albert Einstein, “You can’t solve a problem with the same mindset that created it.” We all know what it feels like to give others good advice, but when it comes to giving ourselves advice it doesn’t seem to be as simple. It can be difficult at times to employ clear thinking when we are so personally involved. Especially in emotionally charged situations such as dealing with personality clashes, handling conflict and managing stress. However, I believe that people do have the resources within them to meet their own needs – it’s just a matter of accessing them.
How often have you been at a networking event or facilitating a meeting and forgotten somebody’s name? It’s not only embarrasing, but can harm your credibility, especially if you are a leader or manager.
Here are our top tips for making sure you remember people’s names in important situations. A host of other useful articles and tips are available in our new Leadership Skills resources section. For really comprehensive coverage of Leadership Skills we also offer a 2-day Leadership Skills training course.
In the current economic climate businesses are having to rethink and redefine the role of leadership. Leadership is commonly defined in terms of individual traits rather than institutional ones and as a role reserved for those who were born to lead.
However Leading leadership guru Warren G. Bennis thinks:
“The most dangerous leadership myth is leaders are born–that there is a genetic factor to leadership. This myth asserts people simply either have certain charismatic qualities or not. That’s nonsense; in fact, the opposite is true. Leaders are made rather than born.” Read the rest of "Leadership Skills – Are Great Leaders Born or Made?"
“I just wanted to to thank you for the course (Leadership Skills Training) held yesterday. They have all come back from the day enthusing about both the course and the trainer. They certainly seem to have gained a lot from the day and are confident, motivated and excited about putting the skills they have learned into practice.” Derinne Pargiter – DPAS -Leadership Training course
WHAT MAKES A GREAT LEADER?
1. Good Judgement
The ability to evaluate facts to com up with possible courses of action in order to make sound decisions. Sound judgment allows leaders to make suitable decisions in the direction and training employees.
This is a fundamental aspects to becoming a better manager, the ability to inspire, initiate and organise . This area of management relies on a manager’s self confidence and the confidence they have to direct their team.
Always try to fix the problem, don’t blame others.
Take responsibility when things go wrong, landing the blame on someone else may create a bad working environment, or your employees moral and self esteem may be affected, making it harder to bring out the best in them. By all means discuss with your team how to avoid making the same mistakes again. Read the rest of "7 Ways To Become A Better Manager"
It’s a problem that affects all of us – especially if you’re a manager – there sometimes just aren’t enough hours in the day!
Eruptions in the HR department – “It’s not my fault I missed work!!”
How often have you been at a networking event or facilitating a meeting and forgotten somebody’s name? It’s not only embarrasing, but can harm your credibility, especially if you are a leader or manager.
