March 28, 2012

The Client Coach: When seconds count: Lessons in time management from basketball

I love college basketball, especially during tournament time. Unlike the professional ranks, which can be awfully predictable at times, you hardly know what to expect when the average player's age is under 20. It can be anybody's game when two young teams collide, fighting in a single elimination tournament. That's why they call it March Madness!

What makes it so exciting? Well one factor is time. Without the game clock there would be no buzzer beaters, last minute heroics or split-second emotional roller coasters that send you from the pinnacle of exaltation to the pit of despair in a heartbeat. It is sheer madness!

Time is of the essence in so many aspects our lives, and perhaps none more than in our professional lives. If you want to achieve your goals, you'd better learn how to manage your time. Consider these principles of good time management:

Be effective and efficient

There is an old managerial adage that says, “Efficiency is doing things right while effectiveness is doing the right things.” Don't even waste your time worrying about which is more important. They both are.

Here are some ways to combine effectiveness with efficiency.

1. Complete the most vital tasks first. Apply the 80/20 rule: What 20 percent of the effort will deliver 80 percent of the result?

2. Look before you leap. Fiery motivators like “Just Do It!” may sound right, but charging 100 miles an hour in the wrong direction can be disastrous. It's important to be decisive and follow through, but only after you've carefully planned your strategy.

3. Communicate clearly. Poor communicators outnumber the good ones almost four to one. I don't think it's because we can't communicate as much as for the fact that we tend to trivialize it too much. We take communication for granted. We assume people understand what we're trying to say without verifying it. You can do a good job on steps one and two but lose it all by shortchanging this one.

Prepare your communication with the same care as you prepare the plan itself. Rework most often happens because of communication failures. Confirm understanding before embarking on any task.

Urgent vs. important

Some people operate like the Tasmanian Devil on the Bugs Bunny Show. You always knew when he was coming because of his unique sound signature: an out of control buzzsaw operating at light speed! You also knew where he had been because of his unique sight signature: a path of destruction in the wake of an enormous cloud of dust! He was the ultimate in efficient ineffectiveness.

How closely do you identify with Taz? Do you spend too much time running around putting out fires each day? Do you operate more from a reactive mode instead of a proactive one? Do you say yes too quickly?

The more impulsive and easily distracted you are, the more essential it is for you to set daily priorities and goals. Practice a pattern of discipline until the new habits are internalized. Be careful about gravitating to what you are more comfortable with rather than doing what's more valuable.

Don't let the tyranny of the urgent crowd out the important. Be ruthless with your time. There will always be urgent demands pressing for your immediate attention. Do the important first.

The next time you're tempted to procrastinate, shortcut planning and communication, or shirk off the need for better organization, think of your next assignment like a “Final Four” appearance. There's just seconds left … 35,000 screaming fans are on their feet … the ball and the fate of your team is in your hands … the clock is ticking …

Okay, you finish the script. Do you want to be like Mike or like the Tasmanian Devil? It's all about time management.

Randy Tuminello is managing principal of Tuminello & Associates, a consulting firm focused on the professional services industry. Information is at http://www.tuminelloassociates.com.

Previous columns:

• The Client Coach: How you can create loyal clients, 02-22-2012
• The Client Coach: Tips on business development from Elizabeth Morgan at CWA, 01-04-2012
• The Client Coach: Keep clients coming back for more, 11-23-2011
• The Client Coach: Even when times get really tough it's essential to stay in the game, 10-05-2011
• The Client Coach: Here's what successful marketers do, 08-24-2011
• The Client Coach: Good marketers focus on the finish, 07-13-2011
• The Client Coach: Winning projects today takes 'a fire in the belly' of your firm, 03-02-2011
• The Client Coach: When thoughts undermine work relationships, 01-19-2011