I’m late already. Sorry for that. I was without gadget contact for a few days for an extended Easter weekend and forgot that the deadlines continue to tick over.
A lapse indeed, of the sort that is becoming more costly as the GFC continues to provide fodder for Fairfax and the like. I have found over the last 6 months a dramatic increase in the number of clients asking for time management and prioritising to be included in the frontline management program I deliver. It seems that as things become tighter, shonky productivity and inefficient work practices are becoming very evident and costly.
As trainers, facilitators and managers, it would seem the same can be said of us as well. Those commentators who aren’t being significantly impacted by the GFC are prolific in their suggestions that a downturn is a fantastic opportunity to reinnovate and improve business practices. But I have found that there has been a stark link between time management, organisation and a trainer that is effective both with delivery and administration – a rare and valuable combination indeed.
A number of my trainers used to be really good facilitators but bad with administration, others were ok at both, but we wanted them to be great at both. This prompted a focus on getting the paperwork right first (some pressure from Dept Ed and Training also helped). The upside is that facilitation has also improved dramatically for all trainers with a flow on effect from the focus on getting organised and managing our administration time better.
Some of the areas we have looked at is improving communication on administration performance, helping trainers develop systems and procedures to help them keep track of individual trainees, and streamlining processes.
On a more micro level, some of our more successful strategies include setting deadlines (this was critical in getting my Diploma done), ensuring people are highly committed to an outcome by focusing on the end result and asking people to take on responsibilities that are aligned with their strengths and interests, conducting meetings while standing up (you’ll be suprised), not forgetting to plan a task or unit of time, and more than anything for a workforce that is dominated by feral, egotistical, generation Y trainers (though much loved) – encouraging each other to practice self discipline. We don’t let each other procrastinate and we hold each other accountable far more than we used to.
What are the time management tricks and tools that help you and your teams through the day.
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