Assess Time Management Skills to Create Team Synergy

Have you ever wished your team could all be moving in the same direction? Could a lack of focus and alignment be preventing your team from accomplishing your most important priorities? Today we are all moving at lightning speed. Technology has made us instantly accessible anywhere we go, 24/7. But the downside is that it is making everything urgent. And when that happens, the truly important things can easily get lost. When your team is clear about its priorities and direction, and everyone understands the impact of time management on team performance, your team productivity will significantly improve. To help your team use its time most effectively, ask yourself how your team is doing in the following seven areas:

1. Goals - Are the goals of our team clear? Do we know what our key objectives are?


2. Priorities - Do we know what our priorities are for the year, month, and week? Do we create a plan to accomplish our most important tasks each week? Do we structure our day to focus on those priorities?


3. Meetings - Do we run our meetings well? Do we have a clear agenda, start and end on time, clearly identify tasks and responsibilities, and follow-up on action items?


4. Interruptions - Do we interrupt each other unnecessarily throughout the day? Do we have a lot of unnecessary distractions?


5. Delegation - Is delegation handled effectively, or do we just "dump" on each other?


6. Written Communications - Do we handle email effectively, or do we send too much email when it's really not necessary?


7. Procrastination - Do we meet our deadlines? If not, how is this impacting other team members?
If you realize there is room for improvement in any of these areas, it's important to speak up and address the need for change within your team. Discuss the negative impact this can be causing your team, and the desired results that could be gained. When you do, and an effective action plan is created, your team is well on its way to accomplishing more...and doing it with less stress, more focus, and greater results.