Image by Glen Carsten-Peters on Unsplash
Here are three things that will improve your managerial performance.
1.Submit reports on time
If you leave report writing to the last minute, it means you didn’t block time to do this job properly.
Reports are important because they illuminate your thinking.
Concise, detailed reports will stand you in good stead with your boss, colleagues and clients. See them in this light, and they are no longer a bane, but a benefit.
Reports force you to think about your area of responsibility and how it connects to other parts of the business.
When you receive a submission date, log it into your calendar. Take note of what you are expected to cover.
Put a draft together of the main points. Allow time to gather data or input from other departments so your report is as comprehensive as needed.
Proof it; double-check the numbers if the report includes them. Submit on or before the deadline.
2. Be prepared for meetings, especially if you are the organiser
To keep meetings short and productive, always request an agenda or the reason for the meeting.
Don’t let someone else tie up your time without a good reason.
If you must attend, make the best use of being there. Once you have the agenda, book time in your calendar for prep and note whether any of the other attendees can answer anything you’ve been waiting to hear about.
If you’re the organiser of a meeting, issue an agenda and make the meeting’s purpose clear. Get the agenda out with enough time for people to prepare their inputs.
Meetings without clear objectives are unproductive time sucks that stop you and your colleagues from working.
Issue clear notes soon after the meeting, highlighting the names or initials of people who have follow-up actions assigned to them and the deadlines for replies and submissions (note those dates in your calendar and chase if not received).
3. Plan your work time in advance
Planning your work time in advance (ideally at the end of a workday, ready for the next) ensures a fast start.
Aim to work in focused blocks of time, with your most important task being the first item. Somedays, that might be the only scheduled item for the day.
If you get interrupted, handle it, then return to your plan.
Items 1 & 2 build better communication skills, and item 3 strengthens your execution.
For a guide to another aspect of professional management, see this page.