“Get your priorities straight!” I would hazard a guess that most of us have heard this phrase shouted at us at some point in our lives (or said it ourselves, especially if we have children). Its usual meaning is to get your act in gear and focus on what’s important. What it really means is that you are not focusing on what is important tome.
In relationships and business, most problems are caused by a misalignment of priorities – the team not agreeing on priorities as well as individuals on the team making poor decisions managing their own priorities in pursuit of team goals. For example: It’s all hands on deck starting a new contract. A couple team members decide to work on cleaning and organizing their workspaces, tasks that have low importance and low urgency to the new contract or the company, delaying critical deliverables.
These situations set the team up for failure. The first step is to make sure everyone is on the same page and that team and company priorities are communicated clearly and reinforced often. Then, when managing your own priorities, here is a great tool – the Eisenhower Matrix (created and used by President Dwight D. Eisenhower during WWII). This tool sorts tasks by their IMPORTANCE and URGENCY with corresponding actions. Its purpose is to have you focus on tasks that generate the most value and movement to achieving your goals (like winning WWII).
· HIGH Importance & HIGH Urgency (Critical Activities) = Do It First – These tasks should be focused on and always come first.
· HIGH Importance & LOW Urgency (Important Goals) = Schedule It – Schedule these with the appropriate timeliness so you eventually get to them but they do not derail critical tasks.
· LOW Importance & HIGH Urgency (Interruptions) = Delegate It – Find a way to use other resources to get these done. Who else can take care of it?
· LOW Importance & LOW Urgency (Distractions) = Don’t Do It – It is just as important what you say no to as what you say yes to. Don’t spend time on what provides little to no value. If you don’t’ you are missing other opportunities.
Are you managing your priorities and making good decisions about them? Or, are you just reacting to what is thrown at you?
“If you chase two rabbit’s, you will not catch either one.” – Russian Proverb
“What is important is seldom urgent, and what is urgent is seldom important.” – Dwight D. Eisenhower
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