Too Busy Doing Business to Do Business

I just met with a corporate Executive VP in Philadelphia. I'll call him Les. Les said his division was struggling. But instead of leading the charge to turn things around, he was constantly being called into meetings to deliver lengthy, detailed, Powerpoint presentations explaining what was wrong. He was too busy doing business to be doing the business.

Interestingly, one of his recommendations was for the company to get out of some of its operations because they were draining money and other resources. He explained that his people were spending too much time on things that no longer yielded the kind of margins the company desired.

Does any of this sound remotely familiar to you? I realized while he was talking to me that I had gotten up at 5 a.m. to deal with emails from a European client; spent time on the cell phone in transit with a non-profit, pro bono client who needed to talk; and allowed myself to be sidetracked by hallway conversations with managers from the client group who I hadn't seen in a while. A similar schedule unraveled today.

The Fallacy of "More Is More"

In a well-known graph about productivity and multi-tasking (from a 1990′s Harvard Study by Steven C.Wheelwright and Kim B.Clark), two researchers showed the benefits of multitasking – but only in situations where the subject worked on two things at once. Any more than two, and productivity declined. A lot.  This graph shows the results of productivity as related to number of tasks. 

The Lesson: People who multitask actually do far worse on performance than people who eliminate distractions and focus their attention on one or two things.

What to do?

1. If you do business globally in the electronic age, the expectation is that you are available on "their" time...or you should be. So choose carefully--you can't afford to be awake 24 hours a day.

2. Time management isn't really about time. It's about clear priorities. Which means...

3. It's important to say "no." In fact, I think "no" is the solution to a lot of this craziness. It's almost impossible to say "no" with confidence unless you are clear about what's really important.

4. If you are in Les's position, at some point you need to tell those above you that the very act of "over-reporting" is exacerbating the problem. Do it respectfully. Share the impact and consequences on your business and let them take responsibility for whether or not it makes sense to continue the external demands on your time.

What priorities will you clarify today so that you do the right business?

Comments

[Fastdraw2005]

Very interesting article, and here I thought i was a great multi-tasker.... Makes me re-think my whole plan.

[Steve Roesler]

Hmm, Fastdraw. Maybe your nickname trumps the statistics and, in fact, you're the Clint Eastwood of Multi-tasking!

[Bill Seidman]

Good post.

I think you would find David Rock's book "Your Brain at Work" very interesting. He presents research on brain function associated with multi-tasking and suggests a set of criteria for protecting neural resources from the impact of multi-tasking. This is, in effective, a neural view of prioritizing.

Also, we have been working extensively with positive deviants in a wide variety of fields and have found that they are rigorous at setting priorities, including being very good at excluding things. They do this through an intense focus on achieving a greater "social good." Those things that contribute to the social good are prioritized while anything that does not contribute to achieving the social good is rejected.

Putting both the Rock and positive deviant work together, what emerges is that the best way to prevent the negative impact of multi-tasking is to be sure you are clear about your overall purpose, make a profound commitment to achieving the purpose and do only those things that directly and specifically contribute to achieving your purpose. If you know where you want to go and really believe in it, prioritizing takes care of itself.

[Steve Roesler]

Bill,

Well laid out. When I can't add to anything, I don't.

Readers: Check out Bill's comment.

[Rich]

Interesting blog. I have an interesting question, however. I am a relatively young manager over a non-profit program. We are currently experiencing an organizational change and we have tripled in size (well, we were 3, now 9). I am starting to lose the trust of my workers because I am spread thin. I get to work and instantly I am bombarded by questions, emails, and the like. I can't seem to get caught up and now my workers are complaining that I am not there for them. With six new employees, that is not a good way to start off. Any advice? (P.S. this is my first management position and I am only 29, with an MA in Psychology)

[Steve Roesler]

Hello, Rich

In some ways, that seems like a good problem to have. You've grown.

In the absence of other diagnostic information about you, your own style, and the other folks, I would suggest this: Sit down with them and tell them exactly what you told me. Let them know that the non-profit has blossomed and you are aware of their frustrations and want to do something about it. Lay out what you are dealing with as you experience it (questions, emails...). Put it all up on a flip chart. Then, ask them how it is affecting them and put all of that on the flip chart, too. Once you've done that, ask: "What are all the ways that we can work together to minimize the frustration and maximize our effectiveness." Don't discount anything. Put it up on the chart without editing or comment. Then, talk about which ones seem workable right away, which would require some planning, and start right away implementing the changes, as agreed.

Finally. . .examine your own ideas and notions about "management" and see if you are doing a lot of things you don't have to because you are the "manager." Good managers develop future managers by bringing them into the work flow.

Much success,

Steve