paul mundy becoming more efficient ideas and tips
TRANSCRIPT
Becoming more efficient
Ideas and tips
Ideas and tips
Setting priorities Keeping people informed Thinking ahead Knowing what to do Holding effective meetings Speaking the language
Setting priorities
Urgent Must be done quickly
Not urgent Can wait until…
Important Project will grind to a halt without it
Not important It doesn’t really matter, but…
Setting priorities
Important A B
Not important C D
Not urgent Urgent
Setting priorities
Important
Get to it soon
Do it now to prevent it from becoming urgent
Do it NOW
Try to make sure nothing is left in this square
Not important
Is it necessary?
Do it sometime
Devote 1 hour a day to this
Then move to more important things
Not urgent Urgent
Keeping people informed
Routing slips Distribution lists Who else is involved or might be affected?
Keeping people informed
Routing slips Paper ¼ A4 size 15 cm x 10.5 cm Attach to document or letter Gives instructions on what to do
Keeping people informed
No. 2007/0001 Date received 28 May 2007
Attachments Subject Nespak monitoring report
To
1 Mr Ahmad
Action
Check budget figures
2 Mr Kamal Discuss timing with me
3 Ms Fatima File
4
Deadline
Urgent! 3 June
Signature
Date 28 May 2007
Example of routing slip
Keeping people informed
Distribution lists For each type of document or letter List of people/organizations to send it to Have standard lists
Keeping people informed
Example: Distribution list for Inception Report PIU (X copies) Project partners Central Liaison Office Office file Office staff (circulate) World Bank Nippon Koei Ministry of Jehad and Agriculture Etc…
Keeping people informed
Distribution lists Create standard distribution lists for different
documents and types of correspondence If in doubt, include an address on the list Use your Address Book in Outlook To create a distribution list in Outlook
Tools > Address Book > File > New Entry > New Distribution List
Keeping people informed
Who else might be involved? Think of others who might be involved…
or who might be affected by an activity Give them information voluntarily
Don’t wait to be asked If they don’t know, they won’t ask you! Send them a copy of document Send then a CC of email
Better to give too much information than too little
Thinking ahead
Check the project timelines and deadlines When are reports due? When are budgets due? When are consultants available?
Thinking ahead
Plan for events Plan backwards from the deadline Make a checklist of things to do Leave plenty of time Send invitations out in good time Impossible to travel from Sari to Teheran at 1
day’s notice!
Thinking ahead
Example Conference scheduled for 7 July Visa requirements? Travel arrangements? Logistics? Participants? Presentations? Accommodation? Etc…
Knowing what to do
Job descriptions Mentoring Partnering To-do lists Procedures
Knowing what to do
Job descriptions If you don’t have a job description, ask your boss
for one “Excuse me, boss, what do you want me to do?” If you’re the boss, give each of your staff a job
description Does not have to be long and formal: half a page
Knowing what to do
Example of job description
Knowing what to do
Mentoring Many new staff do not have experience or
qualifications in job They must learn from scratch You must help them learn their job Appoint mentors – someone to help new staff
member learn their job
Knowing what to do
Partnering What happens if Ahmad…
Is ill? Goes on holiday? Gets another job? Dies?
Have at least 1 other person (Babak?) who can do Ahmad’s job
Ahmad and Babak can… Fill in for each other Support each other in emergency
Knowing what to do
Make a to-do list Handwritten or
using Outlook Check and update
it every day Be realistic Coordinate with
your boss
Example of to-do list
Knowing what to do
Design procedures for Handling incoming and outgoing correspondence Archiving documents Procuring goods and services Gathering and analysing monitoring information Holding meetings Providing transport Hiring new staff Reporting progress to Ministry and World Bank Etc…
Knowing what to do
ProcurementHuman resources
Transport
Reporting
BudgetingAccounting
Information management
Facilities
MonitoringCorrespondence
Management
Knowing what to do
Designing procedures Boss must ensure staff know procedures Staff are responsible for performing procedures Staff must tell boss is procedures are unclear
Once procedure is designed, follow it! Be consistent If it doesn’t work, redesign the procedure
Holding effective meetings
Effective meetings
Prepare an agenda Facilitator
Leads meeting Steers discussion Ensures discussion is relevant
Rapporteur Writes minutes
Translator Interprets
Be clear on decisions and conclusions Write and circulate minutes
Holding effective meetings
6 golden rules for effective meetings1. Run your meetings as you would like others to
run their meetings
2. Be prepared
3. Stick to a schedule
4. Stay on topic
5. Don't hold unnecessary meetings
6. Wrap up properly
Holding effective meetings
1. Run your meetings as you would like others to run their meetings
Learn from others’ mistakes
2. Be prepared Ensure that other participants can be prepared Provide necessary information beforehand Circulate agenda beforehand
Holding effective meetings
3. Stick to a schedule Hold routine meetings (once a week?) Decide how long the meeting will take Start and finish on time
4. Stay on topic Don’t let discussion stray off track Facilitate lightly but firmly
Holding effective meetings
5. Don't hold unnecessary meetings Nothing on the agenda? Is this meeting
necessary? Hold frequent, short meetings (not frequent long
meetings!)
6. Wrap up properly Give clear statement of next steps Say who is responsible
Holding effective meetings
More on effective meetings http://www.govleaders.org/meetings.htm http://www.effectivemeetings.com/sitemap.asp http://humanresources.about.com/od/meetingman
agement/a/meetings_work.htm
Speaking the language
Iranians: فارسی World Bank and
foreign consultants: English
Speaking the language
Use translation software Parstranslator (English ► Farsi) http://www.parstranslator.com/
To translate individual words Search Google for “Farsi English translation” http://mason.gmu.edu/~aross2/farsi.htm http://www.farsidic.com/
Speaking the language
Create a Farsi-English glossary of technical words
Example: Diversion dam انحرافي سد Reservoir dam مخزني سد Secondary irrigation canals درجه 2 کانالهاي
Collect these words and post them on the AILWMP website for all to use