1) Learn to delegate. Be open to the concept that you have a talented staff around you. Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should be doing it. If the item is something that others can handle satisfactorily, hand it off. Only keep the items that ONLY YOU can do. Only keep the items that are aligned with your pay-grade, and career goals. This allows you to use your five minutes to review several projects that other people are handling for you.
2) Set your timer. Often times it’s never a “all or nothing” type of thing. Set your timer for 5 minutes and chip away at some of your inventory and backlog of email, notes or clutter. When the timer goes off – so do you. Repeat this several times during the week until your inventory is eliminated.
3) Use the time to setup appointments that leads to high-income activities. Keep your phone conversations short, to the point, and use them to setup a longer meeting to fully discuss the issue. Keep the interactions to the point — i.e. decide on time, place, and reason for the meeting. Then hang-up and log it in your calendar. You can set several high-income generating appointments within 5 minutes.
4) Announce upfront that you only have 5 minutes to review their progress or listen to their issue. Use that time to properly delegate to the right group or agree to a longer meeting later to discuss. Hand-off the coordination of that meeting to the person that brought the issue to you. Tell them at that time, how much time you will have for that lengthier meeting. Leave in 5 minutes (use the timer method).
5) Always arrive at least 10 minutes early to a meeting or event. Carry a professional or personal development activity or your Individual Networking Strategy Workbook (discussed further in the Professional Development Toolkit) with you. When you arrive at a meeting early or the meeting is starting late — take out your professional or personal development activity and study it. OR use this 5 minutes to business network with those around you.
For more information, why don’t we schedule an appointment, where I get to know more about your unique situation? And then I will be happy to make recommendations on what your best steps are moving forward.
With enough notice, it would be my honor to guest speak at no cost to your group organization.