Time for change

I overheard a new manager being challenged by a team leader, who responded to a query about missing reports with: "Make your mind up what you want: the paperwork or the job done." The team leader's body language indicated that this was more than a lack of time management skills. The relationship between the new manager and his team leader is defined by a hierarchy of rules, mostly unwritten. For example, there are: 'must do' rules (if you agree to collect a young child from school, you must do that); 'should do' rules (we should keep to the speed limit); and 'might do' rules (if time permits). Here, there was a mismatch between the rules/expectations of the new manager and his team leader. Of course the team leader could be facing too much bureaucracy – but he didn't mention this. The fundamental problem was that the previous manager had expected less than the new manager, and the team leader was responding to change by challenging the new rules. Assuming other team leaders were able to complete their tasks satisfactorily, this team leader was unable or unwilling to sense the need to adopt a new set of rules. This is a classic change management pitfall. Where rules (priorities or standards) are ill-defined or unclear, decisions about how to spend time are based on what is interesting at that point. What's more, we have a preferred time trap that we fall into when distracted. Time traps vary but there are four main types: those who find new ideas so stimulating that they take on too many new things; those who so enjoy being in company that they let others set their priorities; those who find it compelling to work through detail and find it difficult to stop; and those who enjoy the security of routine and fill their time with undemanding tasks such as browsing the internet. These time traps would certainly be overcome if the individual had won money or a prestigious award – they would be motivated to find the time to collect it. So, although there are countless logical methodologies to improve time management, they only work where people are engaged and motivated by the tasks and priorities set by their leaders.