executive office management

7/28/2019 Executive Office Management

1/72


2/72

2

I ce-breaking

Name: ------------------------------------------------------------

1 Name2 Family name3 Car 4 Mobile5 Comm. Co.

6 No. of children7 Area8 clothes color 9 Shoe size10- Hobby11 favorite color 12 Workplace13 Experience14 Best meal15 Birth day16 Manager 17 Country18 Title19 Favorite fruit20 Favorite personality
http://images.google.com.kw/imgres?imgurl=http://www.alnaharnews.net/ar/images/archive/6_901808260.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.alnaharnews.net/ar/news.php?maa=View&id=17420&usg=__yMZcqE3ZyA0LOxyHB4vdj5LpwgQ=&h=253&w=350&sz=9&hl=ar&start=5&itbs=1&tbnid=cB8Zvy94y16MhM:&tbnh=87&tbnw=120&prev=/images?q=%D8%B9%D9%85%D8%B1%D9%88+%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B3%D9%89&hl=ar&safe=active&gbv=2&tbs=isch:1http://images.google.com.kw/imgres?imgurl=http://www.news.gov.kw/files/images/capt.db645b62ac3a4524-8%20(7).jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.news.gov.kw/a/26537&usg=__W8aYD5oYoxSH9b1TLVVTgyWVfZg=&h=300&w=300&sz=20&hl=ar&start=1&itbs=1&tbnid=V0VFv6vyxWx9ZM:&tbnh=116&tbnw=116&prev=/images?q=%D8%B3%D9%88%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%A7&hl=ar&safe=active&gbv=2&tbs=isch:1http://images.google.com.kw/imgres?imgurl=http://www.alssiyasi.com/_img/rasha.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.alssiyasi.com/?browser=view&EgyxpID=19477&usg=__7SlryhjWlNypSjOsKnyQ6Kg7Obo=&h=306&w=323&sz=16&hl=ar&start=15&itbs=1&tbnid=FxLswNd5zbbgHM:&tbnh=112&tbnw=118&prev=/images?q=%D9%87%D9%8A%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%8A+%D9%83%D9%84%D9%86%D8%AA%D9%88%D9%86&hl=ar&safe=active&gbv=2&tbs=isch:1http://images.google.com.kw/imgres?imgurl=http://www.saharamedias.net/smedia/images/stories/ban.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.saharamedias.net/smedia/index.php/2008-12-22-00-06-17/4839-2009-07-24-21-50-41.html&usg=__xAlERr0wVZruA_PbXN2ZiV_Nh7w=&h=385&w=385&sz=29&hl=ar&start=1&itbs=1&tbnid=Qtlk3KZGQbrA-M:&tbnh=123&tbnw=123&prev=/images?q=%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%86+%D9%83%D9%8A+%D9%85%D9%88%D9%86&hl=ar&safe=active&gbv=2&tbs=isch:1http://images.google.com.kw/imgres?imgurl=http://www.alnaharnews.net/ar/images/archive/6_901808260.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.alnaharnews.net/ar/news.php?maa=View&id=17420&usg=__yMZcqE3ZyA0LOxyHB4vdj5LpwgQ=&h=253&w=350&sz=9&hl=ar&start=5&itbs=1&tbnid=cB8Zvy94y16MhM:&tbnh=87&tbnw=120&prev=/images?q=%D8%B9%D9%85%D8%B1%D9%88+%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B3%D9%89&hl=ar&safe=active&gbv=2&tbs=isch:1http://images.google.com.kw/imgres?imgurl=http://www.news.gov.kw/files/images/capt.db645b62ac3a4524-8%20(7).jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.news.gov.kw/a/26537&usg=__W8aYD5oYoxSH9b1TLVVTgyWVfZg=&h=300&w=300&sz=20&hl=ar&start=1&itbs=1&tbnid=V0VFv6vyxWx9ZM:&tbnh=116&tbnw=116&prev=/images?q=%D8%B3%D9%88%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%A7&hl=ar&safe=active&gbv=2&tbs=isch:1http://images.google.com.kw/imgres?imgurl=http://www.alssiyasi.com/_img/rasha.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.alssiyasi.com/?browser=view&EgyxpID=19477&usg=__7SlryhjWlNypSjOsKnyQ6Kg7Obo=&h=306&w=323&sz=16&hl=ar&start=15&itbs=1&tbnid=FxLswNd5zbbgHM:&tbnh=112&tbnw=118&prev=/images?q=%D9%87%D9%8A%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%8A+%D9%83%D9%84%D9%86%D8%AA%D9%88%D9%86&hl=ar&safe=active&gbv=2&tbs=isch:1http://images.google.com.kw/imgres?imgurl=http://www.saharamedias.net/smedia/images/stories/ban.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.saharamedias.net/smedia/index.php/2008-12-22-00-06-17/4839-2009-07-24-21-50-41.html&usg=__xAlERr0wVZruA_PbXN2ZiV_Nh7w=&h=385&w=385&sz=29&hl=ar&start=1&itbs=1&tbnid=Qtlk3KZGQbrA-M:&tbnh=123&tbnw=123&prev=/images?q=%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%86+%D9%83%D9%8A+%D9%85%D9%88%D9%86&hl=ar&safe=active&gbv=2&tbs=isch:1http://images.google.com.kw/imgres?imgurl=http://www.alnaharnews.net/ar/images/archive/6_901808260.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.alnaharnews.net/ar/news.php?maa=View&id=17420&usg=__yMZcqE3ZyA0LOxyHB4vdj5LpwgQ=&h=253&w=350&sz=9&hl=ar&start=5&itbs=1&tbnid=cB8Zvy94y16MhM:&tbnh=87&tbnw=120&prev=/images?q=%D8%B9%D9%85%D8%B1%D9%88+%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B3%D9%89&hl=ar&safe=active&gbv=2&tbs=isch:1http://images.google.com.kw/imgres?imgurl=http://www.news.gov.kw/files/images/capt.db645b62ac3a4524-8%20(7).jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.news.gov.kw/a/26537&usg=__W8aYD5oYoxSH9b1TLVVTgyWVfZg=&h=300&w=300&sz=20&hl=ar&start=1&itbs=1&tbnid=V0VFv6vyxWx9ZM:&tbnh=116&tbnw=116&prev=/images?q=%D8%B3%D9%88%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%A7&hl=ar&safe=active&gbv=2&tbs=isch:1http://images.google.com.kw/imgres?imgurl=http://www.alssiyasi.com/_img/rasha.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.alssiyasi.com/?browser=view&EgyxpID=19477&usg=__7SlryhjWlNypSjOsKnyQ6Kg7Obo=&h=306&w=323&sz=16&hl=ar&start=15&itbs=1&tbnid=FxLswNd5zbbgHM:&tbnh=112&tbnw=118&prev=/images?q=%D9%87%D9%8A%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%8A+%D9%83%D9%84%D9%86%D8%AA%D9%88%D9%86&hl=ar&safe=active&gbv=2&tbs=isch:1http://images.google.com.kw/imgres?imgurl=http://www.saharamedias.net/smedia/images/stories/ban.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.saharamedias.net/smedia/index.php/2008-12-22-00-06-17/4839-2009-07-24-21-50-41.html&usg=__xAlERr0wVZruA_PbXN2ZiV_Nh7w=&h=385&w=385&sz=29&hl=ar&start=1&itbs=1&tbnid=Qtlk3KZGQbrA-M:&tbnh=123&tbnw=123&prev=/images?q=%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%86+%D9%83%D9%8A+%D9%85%D9%88%D9%86&hl=ar&safe=active&gbv=2&tbs=isch:1http://images.google.com.kw/imgres?imgurl=http://www.alnaharnews.net/ar/images/archive/6_901808260.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.alnaharnews.net/ar/news.php?maa=View&id=17420&usg=__yMZcqE3ZyA0LOxyHB4vdj5LpwgQ=&h=253&w=350&sz=9&hl=ar&start=5&itbs=1&tbnid=cB8Zvy94y16MhM:&tbnh=87&tbnw=120&prev=/images?q=%D8%B9%D9%85%D8%B1%D9%88+%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B3%D9%89&hl=ar&safe=active&gbv=2&tbs=isch:1http://images.google.com.kw/imgres?imgurl=http://www.news.gov.kw/files/images/capt.db645b62ac3a4524-8%20(7).jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.news.gov.kw/a/26537&usg=__W8aYD5oYoxSH9b1TLVVTgyWVfZg=&h=300&w=300&sz=20&hl=ar&start=1&itbs=1&tbnid=V0VFv6vyxWx9ZM:&tbnh=116&tbnw=116&prev=/images?q=%D8%B3%D9%88%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%A7&hl=ar&safe=active&gbv=2&tbs=isch:1http://images.google.com.kw/imgres?imgurl=http://www.alssiyasi.com/_img/rasha.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.alssiyasi.com/?browser=view&EgyxpID=19477&usg=__7SlryhjWlNypSjOsKnyQ6Kg7Obo=&h=306&w=323&sz=16&hl=ar&start=15&itbs=1&tbnid=FxLswNd5zbbgHM:&tbnh=112&tbnw=118&prev=/images?q=%D9%87%D9%8A%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%8A+%D9%83%D9%84%D9%86%D8%AA%D9%88%D9%86&hl=ar&safe=active&gbv=2&tbs=isch:1http://images.google.com.kw/imgres?imgurl=http://www.saharamedias.net/smedia/images/stories/ban.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.saharamedias.net/smedia/index.php/2008-12-22-00-06-17/4839-2009-07-24-21-50-41.html&usg=__xAlERr0wVZruA_PbXN2ZiV_Nh7w=&h=385&w=385&sz=29&hl=ar&start=1&itbs=1&tbnid=Qtlk3KZGQbrA-M:&tbnh=123&tbnw=123&prev=/images?q=%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%86+%D9%83%D9%8A+%D9%85%D9%88%D9%86&hl=ar&safe=active&gbv=2&tbs=isch:1


3/72

3

Pre-assessmentAnswer the following (Yes, No, Sometimes)

1 I don't feel proud of my job as a secretary.

2 I love my work.3 I don't need any assistance from others, I can work on my own.4 I can communicate smoothly with my colleagues.5 My manager can not survive without me.6 My manager always asks me to do tasks, even at home.7 I am well-organized.8 I always have plans and my schdule is always busy.9 I help my manager in prioritizing his tasks.10 When I face a problem, I rely on my manager to sort it out.11 My manager always asks me to sort out his problems.12 I am sociable, I can make relationships with others easily.13 My manager relies on me in some negotiations.14 I am a good decision maker.15 My manager is an easygoing person.16 My manager is strict.17 I like those who are straightforward.18 Most of my manager's visitors are nice and gentle.19 Rarely, my manager corrects my writings.20 I am skillful in handling difficult situations.21 I can start a conversation even with those who I meet for the firsttime.22 I have the ability to urge others to speak out to know what they needfrom me.23 I am good in reading body language.24 My manager trusts me and I usually receive high delegation fromhim.25 If my manager asks me to lie, I do.26 My manager is a good motivator.27 I know the best time to approach my manager with a request.28 I feel comfortable in dealing with other managers.29 The best part of my day is the morning.30 Sometimes, I feel that I want to leave my work.


4/72

4

Contents:

Executive office management Partnering

Strategic partnering skills The ideal partner Executive office communication Planning and scheduling work Priority management Scheduling, day by day Problem solving Relationships with others Negotiations Decision making Leadership Leadership styles and situational leadership Writing etiquette Conversational etiquette Understanding people and behavior Personality types


5/72

5

Executive office management

Secretaries and administrative assistants perform a variety of administrative and clerical duties necessary to run an organization

efficiently. They serve as information and communication managers for an office; plan and schedule meetings and appointments; organize andmaintain paper and electronic files; manage projects; conduct research;and disseminate information by using the telephone, mail services, Websites, and e-mail. They also may handle travel and guest arrangements.

Secretaries and administrative assistants use a variety of officeequipment, such as fax machines, photocopiers, scanners, andvideoconferencing and telephone systems. In addition, secretaries and

administrative assistants often use computers to do tasks previouslyhandled by managers and professionals, such as: create spreadsheets;compose correspondence; manage databases; and create presentations,reports, and documents using desktop publishing software and digitalgraphics. They also may negotiate with vendors, maintain and examineleased equipment, purchase supplies, manage areas such as stockrooms or corporate libraries, and retrieve data from various sources. At the sametime, managers and professionals have assumed many tasks traditionallyassigned to secretaries and administrative assistants, such as keyboardingand answering the telephone. Because secretaries and administrativeassistants do less dictation and word processing, they now have time tosupport more members of the executive staff. In a number of organizations, secretaries and administrative assistants work in teams towork flexibly and share their expertise.

Many secretaries and administrative assistants now provide training andorientation for new staff, conduct research on the Internet, and operateand troubleshoot new office technologies.


6/72

6

Specific job duties vary with experience and titles. Executive secretariesand administrative assistants provide high-level administrative supportfor an office and for top executives of an organization. Generally, they

perform fewer clerical tasks than do secretaries and more information

management. In addition to arranging conference calls and supervisingother clerical staff, they may handle more complex responsibilities suchas reviewing incoming memos, submissions, and reports in order todetermine their significance and to plan for their distribution. They also

prepare agendas and make arrangements for meetings of committees andexecutive boards. They also may conduct research and prepare statisticalreports.

So career development should follow this direction of tasks, whichmeans, admin. Assistants must focus on the skills mentioned to developand attain for the future promotions and any successful accomplishment.

The secretary should:*advise the manager on procedure as required*anticipate, plan, organize, prepare and remind the manager with thetasks.*liaise with the manager and relevant other parties*prepare follow-up correspondence indicating decisions made*prepare reports for senior committees/executive staff arising from thetasks*gather, analyze and present data, and prepare submissions, policy drafts,reports of tasks*provide administrative support, e.g. members' accommodation andtravel, catering, venue arrangement, audiovisual and other equipment for tasks*liaise with relevant executive officers and managers who are in relationwith the manager

*answer the phone calls*Conduct the mails and e-mails

*Do a variety of tasks that will be discussed below


7/72

7

SKILLS REQUIREMENTS/RELEVANT EXPERIENCE:

1. Good standard of written and oral communication.

2. Competency in Microsoft Word and email systems.3. Good organizational, record keeping and people skills.4. Ability to identify, prioritize, complete and delegate tasks appropriatelyto meet deadlines.5. Ability to function as a key player in a team, providing and followingleadership where required.6. Ability to effectively and efficiently implement the organization'sadministration and management requirements.


8/72

8

Executive Secretary roles and the offices management

Executive Secretary

Job Title: Executive Secretary Company Job Code: ....................................... Status: ....................................... Division/Department ....................................... Emp Code: ....................................... Reports to: President/CEO Salary Grade/Band: ....................................... Last Revision Date: .......................................

SUMMARY

Provide personal administrative support to the President/CEO. Duties include general clerical, receptionistand project based work. Project a professional company image through in-person and phone interaction.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Prepare correspondence, reports, and materials for publications and presentations.2. Setup President's travel arrangements.3. Setup accommodation and entertainment arrangements for company visitors.4. Maintain President's calendar.5. Prepare and maintain President's expense report.6. Setup and coordinate meetings and conferences.7. Create, transcribe, and distribute meeting agendas and minutes.8. Answer telephones and handle in appropriate manner.9. Meet and greet clients and visitors.

10. Perform general clerical duties to include but not limited to: photocopying, faxing, mailing, and filing.11. Maintain hard copy and electronic filing system.12. Sign for UPS/Fed Ex/Airborne packages.13. Research, price, and purchase office furniture and supplies. 14. Coordinate project-based work.15. Supervise support staff.16. Other duties as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL REQUIREMENTS

1. Basic reading, writing, and arithmetic skills required. This is normally acquired through a high schooldiploma or equivalent.

2. Knowledge of Microsoft Office and telephone protocol. Computer literate with the ability to learn newsoftware applications. Duties require professional verbal and written communication skills and theability to type 60 wpm. Visibility of work requires attention to detail, excellent organizational skills,and discretion with confidential information.

3. Work requires willingness to work a flexible schedule and occasional overnight travel.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Working conditions are normal for an office environment. Work may require occasional overnight travel andweekend and/or evening work.


9/72

9

Partnering

The most important issue in a manager's success is being a person thatothers want to follow. So every action you take during your career in an

organization helps determine your relation with the manager ( as hisassistant ) who has to gain the following:

Builds effective and responsive interpersonal relationships. Reporting staff members, colleagues and executives respect his or

her ability to demonstrate caring, collaboration, respect, trust andattentiveness.

Communicates effectively in person, print and email. Listening and two-way feedback characterize his or her interaction

with others. Builds the team and enables other staff ( and you in particular ) to

collaborate more effectively with each other. People feel they have become more - more effective, more creative, more productive - inthe presence of a team builder.

Understands the financial aspects of the business and sets goals andmeasures and documents staff progress and success.

Knows how to create an environment in which people experience positive morale and recognition and employees are motivated to

work hard for the success of the business. Leads by example and provides recognition when others do thesame.

Helps people grow and develop their skills and capabilities througheducation and on-the-job learning.

Once you make sure that you understand the above about your manager,your work life will be as a piece of cake with him.


10/72

10

Strategic partnering skills

What are team objectives?

Objectives are the specific goals that the team will accomplish in a fixedamount of time. These objectives flow from the team's purpose. Eachone moves you towards your vision.

Team objectives support the teams vision and purpose and the Companyand/or Department objectives.

Why are team objectives important?

Team objectives are the basis of the teams planned work. Team objectives should be the starting point for the employee

objectives set as part of the performance management process. Team objectives provide the basis for talent and resource planning.

They dictate the resources needed.

Ways to develop team partnership

Team goals should be developed through a group process of teaminteraction and agreement. Ways to facilitate your role and your manager's role as one team process are:

Focused Team Workshop


11/72

11

Leave the manager to work alone and spend 15 minutes listing his ownideas for the task objectives. Afterwards, organize his ideas and your ideas, eliminate duplicates and decide on the main objectives you want toconsider. Then write the final form of the task depending on the ideas

from both sides to have the best of them that are ready to beaccomplished.

Building a successful working relationship with your manager and teammembers

5 Steps to Building a Successful Team (Partnership):

It's important to remember that teams exist for one reason:To achieve results! However, it's also important to remember that teamsmust be sustainable in order to continue producing those results, so that'swhy we look at the inter-relationships among the team members -- toensure that those relationships are working at the level needed for theteam to continue producing results without getting burned out.


12/72

12

1. Measure the current effectiveness of your team.

2. Create your vision of a highly successful team.This is where you can use the "begin with the end in mind" concept thatStephen Covey and others have used for years.

3. Communicate effectively

4. Develop a plan to turn your team vision into reality Now that you've measure your team's current effectiveness, you'vecreated a vision of your desired team and you've determined how to bestcommunicate with them, it's time to create an action plan!

This step is about creating goals that support you in growing your team tothe next level.

Remember to set goals that are:

- Specific- Measurable- Attainable- Realistic- Time oriented (make sure each goal has a deadline!)


13/72

13

5. Take a stand for your team!

Whether you see yourself as "the leader" of your team or "amember" of your team, you are in a position to influence your team. Takea stand for the improvement of your team! Here are a couple of ways thatyou can do that:

- Remind your team members of the vision you see for your team andwhat you see as being possible for your team.

- Look for ways to build and develop your team. When was the last timeyour team had a meeting that was dedicated to enhancing your team'srelationships?


14/72

14

The ideal partner

A discussion about the ideal partner -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Executive office communication

The purpose of communication is to get your message across to others.This is a process that involves both the sender of the message and thereceiver. This process leaves room for error, with messages oftenmisinterpreted by one or more of the parties involved. This causesunnecessary confusion and counter productivity.


15/72

15

In fact, a message is successful only when both the sender and thereceiver perceive it in the same way.

By successfully getting your message across, you convey your thoughtsand ideas effectively. When not successful, the thoughts and ideas thatyou convey do not necessarily reflect your own, causing acommunications breakdown and creating roadblocks that stand in the wayof your goals both personally and professionally.

In a recent survey of recruiters from companies with more than 50,000employees, communication skills were cited as the single more importantdecisive factor in choosing managers. The survey, conducted by theUniversity of Pittsburghs Katz Business School, points out thatcommunication skills, including written and oral presentations, as well asan ability to work with others, are the main factor contributing to jobsuccess.

In spite of the increasing importance placed on communication skills,many individuals continue to struggle with this, unable to communicatetheir thoughts and ideas effectively whether in verbal or written format.This inability makes it nearly impossible for them to compete effectivelyin the workplace, and stands in the way of career progression.

Getting your message across is paramount to progressing. To do this, you

must understand what your message is, what audience you are sending itto, and how it will be perceived. You must also weigh-in the


16/72

16

circumstances surrounding your communications, such as situational andcultural context.

The Importance of Removing Barriers:

Communication barriers can pop-up at every stage of the communication process (which consists of sender, message, channel, receiver, feedback and context - see the diagram below) and have the potential to createmisunderstanding and confusion.

To be an effective communicator and to get your point across withoutmisunderstanding and confusion, your goal should be to lessen thefrequency of these barriers at each stage of this process with clear,concise, accurate and well-planned communications. We follow the

process through below:

Sender...To establish yourself as an effective communicator, you must firstestablish credibility. In the business arena, this involves displayingknowledge of the subject, the audience and the context in which themessage is delivered.

You must also know your audience (individuals or groups to which you

are delivering your message). Failure to understand who you arecommunicating to, will result in delivering messages that aremisunderstood.

Message... Next, consider the message itself. Written, oral and nonverbalcommunications are effected by the senders tone, method of organization, validity of the argument, what is communicated and what isleft out, as well as your individual style of communicating. Messages alsohave intellectual and emotional components, with intellect allowing us


17/72

17

the ability to reason and emotion allowing us to present motivationalappeals, ultimately changing minds and actions.

Channel...Messages are conveyed through channels, with verbal including face-to-face meetings, telephone and videoconferencing; and written includingletters, emails, memos and reports.

Receiver...These messages are delivered to an audience. No doubt, you have inmind, the actions or reactions you hope your message prompts from thisaudience. Keep in mind, your audience also enters into thecommunication process with ideas and feelings that will undoubtedlyinfluence their understanding of your message and their response. To be asuccessful communicator, you should consider these before deliveringyour message, acting appropriately.

Feedback...Your audience will provide you with feedback, verbal and nonverbalreactions to your communicated message. Pay close attention to thisfeedback as it is crucial to ensuring the audience understood your message; body language, face expression or eye contact.

Context...The situation in which your message is delivered is the context. This mayinclude the surrounding environment or broader culture (i.e. corporateculture, international cultures, etc.).


18/72

18

Removing Bar r iers At Al l These Stages

To deliver your messages effectively, you must commit to breaking downthe barriers that exist in each of these stages of the communication

process.

Lets begin with the message itself. If your message is too lengthy,disorganized, or contains errors, you can expect the message to bemisunderstood and misinterpreted. Use of poor verbal and body languagecan also confuse the message.

Planning and scheduling work

Time management" is one of those elusive phrases like "people skills"that mean a lot but are hard to define. What it comes down to is a singlequestion:

Do you have enough hours in the day to get everything done?

Your answer is probably a resounding "No!" Who doesn't have pages of undone "To Do" items? Who doesn't long for another hour to sleep or

play or return e-mail?

Given that you're already operating on a time deficit, the goal is tominimize the number of hours you spend at work while maximizing your

productivity. And there are some relatively simple ways to get the mostout of your hours:


19/72

19

I denti fy Time-Suckers Plan Ahead Write Everything Down Stick to Your Pri ori ties

I denti fy Time-Suckers

Cutting wasted time from your day is like cutting extra calories from your diet. First identify where the time is going. Commit to keeping anaccurate record (down to 5-minute increments) of your schedule for thenext week.

Now look at your work tasks. Where do you take the most time correlatedirectly to your job responsibilities? If you're spending most of your week on tasks not within your job description, it's time for a conversation withyour boss.

Next, determine what tools or training can help reduce the time spent on job-related tasks. Do you have to share a computer? Could a course inPowerPoint help you create presentations more quickly? Make a list and

present it to your boss.

Plan Ahead

"I'm so busy, I don't have time to plan!" If this is your mantra, takeanother look at your work style.


20/72

20

One of the greatest fallacies about time management is that planningtakes more time than it's worth. For those of us without personalsecretaries, the single biggest move we can make to take control of our time is to plan ahead.

Planning has several benefits:It keeps you on track. By thinking out what you want to get done, youkeep moving in the right direction.It minimizes downtime. If you have a list to come back to between tasksor during slow spots, you can immediately address the next project, rather than having to figure out what needs to get done.It allows you to focus on your priorities. If you know what absolutely hasto happen today, you can concentrate your efforts on making sure it getsdone.

For the next week, before you leave the office at night, take 5 minutes tomake a list of what you'd like to get done the next business day. Put a star next to the 3 most important items, the ones that have to happen--or else.

Now leave that list on your desk so it'll be the first thing you see whenyou arrive at the office the next day.At the end of the week, review your accomplishments. If you don't feelmore in control, less stressed, more productive--then go back to your oldway of doing things. But if you're feeling better about your accomplishments and your workload, try the planning experiment for another week. By then it may be so much a part of your routine, it'll besecond nature, and you won't be able to imagine how you functionedwithout it.


21/72

21

Write Everything Down

How much time do you spend looking for lost items, trying to remember what you need to do next, and figuring out where you should have been

an hour ago? Whatever your answer, it's too much.

Face it: you may be the most capable person on Earth, but you can'tremember everything. So don't try. Write it down instead. It doesn'tmatter if you use a $500 Palm Pilot or a $.99 legal pad, the importantthing is to pick a system and stick with it.

Make it a habit to record everything--from the fact that it's your turn to bring bagels to the staff meeting, to what should be included in your largest customer's order. Even if you don't organize your notes into filesor transfer them to a calendar, at least you've made a note regarding whatneeds to get done and by when. The mere act of building a record willhelp you remember what's important.

Stick to Your Pri ori ties

You do know what your priorities are, don't you? If not, it's time to figurethem out. Make a list of your typical job tasks, review your jobdescription, determine what's getting done and what isn't, and meet withyour manager for a heart-to-heart.

Now it's your responsibility to arrange your schedule accordingly. If your boss says the weekly report is your most important responsibility andyou've consistently neglected it, move it up on your list. Conversely, if interdepartmental meetings are just not that critical to her/him, you knowwhat to skip if you must.

Priority management

The concept of managing for the short term has traditionally sufferedfrom a stigma when contrasted to the notion of being a long-termvisionary thinker. Short term was considered bad, while long term wasconsidered good. Long term connotes something lasting, well thought-outand perhaps even capable of leaving a legacy, while short term brings tomind shallow, reactive and even shoot-from-the-hip thinking. Whenemployees are working as fast as they can and believe that short-term

thinking means reacting to only the crisis of the day, its unde rstandablethat a manager might question the idea of focusing on the short term.


22/72

22

However, the reality is that managers today have to be more orientedtoward the short term to be better synchronized with their organizationsneeds. In addition, that orientation allows an organization to be better in

tune with the changing needs of customers and their desire for quick gratification.

Once a manager gets over the negative perception that anything shortterm is inherently bad, short-term execution and long-term vision can begin to be aligned.

Beyond being demanded by the current business environment, managingfor the short term can also have distinct advantages for the manager whounderstands how to use such methods to support the companys overallstrategy:Because it focuses on quantifiable information, managing for the shortterm is based not on guesswork but on reality. It is, by definition, market-influenced, as customer contacts and interactions actually can causemanagement to adjust if the organization is set up to do so.

By providing incremental forward motion, it offers the opportunity tocorrect errors quickly before they become disasters.

By producing documented immediate results, it offers opportunities togarner support needed to implement projects on an ongoing basis.


23/72

23

By focusing on information flow, it provides companies with a freshinflux of ideas, constant updates, and the ability to stay abreast of andcapitalize on change.

Prioritizing multiple tasks when everything is urgent

The ability to choose and complete tasks in the order of importancehighly desirable and more challenging for some business types thanothers.

In order to choose tasks you must be aware of as many tasks and projectsas possible. In order to do this, every planning session must have a list.

You Must Have a List!

List all your tasks, then rate them, and list them again in order. Then youcan schedule them.When all tasks and projects are rated, use these additional filters to

prioritize:

Imagine th e consequences of eliminating the task. This exercise willoften remove some unneeded tasks altogether. Decide if each task should be performed in prime time or secondarytime. Determine who will be affected by the task.


24/72

24

Now Reduce Your List

Until we can effectively clone ourselves to be in more than one place at atime, most of us need to reduce our workload.

Before you start prioritizing, consider these task elimination criteria:

Does This Task or Project M ake Sense?

Why i s the Task Urgent?

While urgency should be a mindset of business, urgency should also bequestioned ruthlessly.

I s the ur gency only appeasing someone else?

What has caused the urgency? Many urgent situations have been caused by mistakes. Determining the cause of urgency can eliminate or postponea task and lead to prevention measures of interruptions and mistakes.

H ow El se Could the Task Be Done? Are You Utilizing Technology

Could an in person appointment be a phone call ? Conference calling can rule out travel and save an enormous amount of time.

Could you email instead of call ing? Email can be done on your terms when you want. You will have time toarticulate better compared to the live telephone conversation. Time can bewasted and sales lost by leaving phone messages for people. Emaileliminates phone tag.

Can the Task Be Dissected? Are there portions of the work that can be delegated, eliminated, or

postponed?

What i s the Cost of Excluding a Task? There are many jobs throughout the day that are actually not worth thetime to do.

One great tr ick for priori tizing is to give every task a deadli ne.


25/72

25

Give tasks a deadline.

Priori tizing I nterr uptions

Define Interruption Types

Think about how you are interrupted from your OUT or productive work.Make a list of every kind of interruption you have experienced in the lastthree months.

Scheduling

Time management helps you get your work done on time in an efficientmanner. Here is a method to help you manage your time at work.

List Your TasksAt the beginning of each week, right down all the tasks you need to getdone. Take 10 minutes every morning to do the same for that day.


26/72

26

Consider Your Tasks CarefullyAfter creating your task list, think about them for a few minutes. Makesure that the tasks you included are things that you really need to do.Extra, or optional, tasks should be listed as such and should only be

considered IF and WHEN you finish important tasks.

If there are tasks you can delegate or divide with others, this can be atimesaving option.Can you divide any of your tasks into smaller parts? Doing this makes

bigger projects seem more attainable and make them easier to tackle.Also consider combining tasks when possible. For example, if you have ameeting with a client about Project A and you also need to discuss ProjectB, do this in one meeting.

Include DetailsBe sure to include smaller tasks, that may be overlooked, that areimportant. This includes meetings, reports, and even important phonecalls and emails.

Prioritize Now prioritize your tasks. Try setting up a rating system from 1 to 3, for example, with 1 being very important, 2-important and 3-less important.

Rate the tasks on your list accordingly, while grouping tasks with thesame rating together. Remember that the priority of the task could be

based on the actual importance of the task or deadlines.

Once you have a list of prioritized tasks, assign time frames for eachitem. For example, Task 1 will need 1 hour, Task 2 will require 30minutes, etc.

Mark ThemWork the tasks into your calendar. There are many programs andapplications that can help you do this. If you do not have one, a desk


27/72

27

calendar or any other calendar will be fine.Try to schedule tasks with a rating of 1 first. One time too often peoplestart with the smaller, less important tasks and end up not getting aroundto the more important ones. Your preferences should also play a part ingetting organized. If you are a morning person, organize your moreimportant tasks or those requiring more concentration in the morning.

Recurrent ActivitiesTry to schedule set times for repeated activities as reading email or making sales calls. You can plan to check email for 10 minutes each. For example, if you receive a lot of email or make frequent sales calls, itwould be a good idea to include set times for such activities.

Make Room For Surprises

Remember to always set some time aside for anything unexpected andinterruptions that are bound to happen. Allocating such time will help youto stick to your schedule instead of having to push things back because of surprises.


28/72

28

Stick To ItTo make planning worthwhile you need to FOLLOW your plan. There isno point in creating a task list and creating a detailed schedule if youdont stick to it. That would be a waste of time!

Revise and Update Your PlanSee what works best for you. Does planning tasks a day before work

better for you than planning for the day in the morning? There is no rightor wrong way to do this. What works for you is right for you.

Problem solving

1. Define the problemThis is often where people struggle. They react to what they think the

problem is. Instead, seek to understand more about why you think there'sa problem.

Defining the problem: (with input from yourself and others)Ask yourself and others, the following questions:

a. What can you see that causes you to think there's a problem? b. Where is it happening?c. How is it happening?d. When is it happening?e. With whom is it happening? (HINT: Don't jump to "Who is causing the

problem?" When we're stressed, blaming is often one of our firstreactions. To be an effective office manager, you need to address issuesmore than people.)f. Why is it happening?

g. Write down a five-sentence description of the problem in terms of "Thefollowing should be happening, but isn't ..." or "The following is


29/72

29

happening and should be: ..." As much as possible, be specific in your description, including what is happening, where, how, with whom andwhy. (It may be helpful at this point to use a variety of research methods.Also see .

Defining complex problems:a. If the problem still seems overwhelming, break it down by repeatingsteps a-f until you have descriptions of several related problems.

Verifying your understanding of the problems:a. It helps a great deal to verify your problem analysis for conferring witha peer or someone else.

Prioritize the problems:a. If you discover that you are looking at several related problems, then

prioritize which ones you should address first. b. Note the difference between "important" and "urgent" problems. Often,what we consider to be important problems to consider are really justurgent problems. Important problems deserve more attention. For example, if you're continually answering "urgent" phone calls, thenyou've probably got a more "important" problem and that's to design asystem that screens and prioritizes your phone calls.

Understand your role in the problem:a. Your role in the problem can greatly influence how you perceive therole of others. For example, if you're very stressed out, it'll probably look like others are, too, or, you may resort too quickly to blaming andreprimanding others. Or, you feel very guilty about your role in the

problem, you may ignore the accountabilities of others.

2. Look at potential causes for the problema. It's amazing how much you don't know about what you don't know.Therefore, in this phase, it's critical to get input from other people whonotice the problem and who are effected by it.

b. It's often useful to collect input from other individuals one at a time (atleast at first). Otherwise, people tend to be inhibited about offering their impressions of the real causes of problems.c. Write down what your opinions and what you've heard from others.d. Regarding what you think might be performance problems associatedwith an employee, it's often useful to seek advice from a peer or your supervisor in order to verify your impression of the problem.

e.Write down a description of the cause of the problem and in terms of what is happening, where, when, how, with whom and why.


30/72

30

3. Identify alternatives for approaches to resolve the problemAt this point, it's useful to keep others involved (unless you're facing a

personal and/or employee performance problem). Brainstorm for

solutions to the problem.

4. Select an approach to resolve the problemWhen selecting the best approach, consider:a. Which approach is the most likely to solve the problem for the longterm?

b. Which approach is the most realistic to accomplish for now? Do youhave the resources? Are they affordable? Do you have enough time toimplement the approach?c. What is the extent of risk associated with each alternative?

5. Plan the implementation of the best alternative (this is your actionplan)a. Carefully consider "What will the situation look like when the problemis solved?"

b. What steps should be taken to implement the best alternative to solvingthe problem? What systems or processes should be changed in your organization, for example, a new policy or procedure? Don't resort tosolutions where someone is "just going to try harder".c. How will you know if the steps are being followed or not?d. What resources will you need in terms of people, money and facilities?e. How much time will you need to implement the solution? Write a


31/72

31

schedule that includes the start and stop times, and when you expect tosee certain indicators of success.f. Who will primarily be responsible for ensuring implementation of the

plan?

g. Write down the answers to the above questions and consider this asyour action plan.h. Communicate the plan to those who will involved in implementing itand, at least, to your immediate supervisor.

6. Monitor implementation of the planMonitor the indicators of success:a. Are you seeing what you would expect from the indicators?

b. Will the plan be done according to schedule?c. If the plan is not being followed as expected, then consider: Was the

plan realistic? Are there sufficient resources to accomplish the plan onschedule? Should more priority be placed on various aspects of the plan?Should the plan be changed?

7. Verify if the problem has been resolved or notOne of the best ways to verify if a problem has been solved or not is toresume normal operations in the organization.


32/72

32

Relationships with others

In the work environment, office managers and secretaries used to dealwith different kinds of people. To succeed in accomplishing the

objectives and tasks, one should know how to deal with these types of people.

First we must know that people are not the same, so they usually havedifferent types of personalities:

SeriousAmbitious

Nervous

SmartRomanticSensitiveFriendlyShySecretiveGenerousActiveDynamicDiplomaticAdventurousUnderstandingHardworkingSoft-spokenChoosyTalkativeFussyStubbornBraveHigh pride of one self JealousObservantTrustworthySystematicPatientSociableGood sense of humor Disabled


33/72

33

Discuss with the trainer how to deal with each type on its own---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tips for overcoming negative aspects in yourself:

Learn to recognize when your defensive mechanisms come up. Realizethat you are probably not really being attacked.

When you catch yourself feeling defensive, dont react so quickly.

Learn how to listen when someone asks a question or makes a suggestion.

Ask people to re-state their question/comment/suggestion.

Try to understand what others are saying by repeating back what youthink you heard.

You may want to ask for more time to respond, then get back to them.This will give you time to work with the question/comment/suggestionwithout the pressure of being on the spot.

DO consider that other people have good ideas that are just as valid as

yours.Take courses or workshops in listening skills and team-building.


34/72

34

Find someone who can help you work on this negative aspect of yourself a good friend, co-worker, teacher or counsellor.If it is someone that you interact with regularly, ask them to let you know

when you are being a jerk and call your attention to what you are doing.That will help you learn to see what situations and events trigger your insecurity.

Recognize that changing learned patterns of insecurity and defensivenessmay take years of work.Don't give up on yourself.Learn to understand your own personality and your unique strengths andweaknesses.The effort to improve your ability to get along with others will berewarded as you find more career opportunities open up for you.

Understanding Difficult Behavior

The difficult people behavior can be either crude or subtle, but mostimportantly they overpower anyone with whom they must interact. They


35/72

35

lack a sense of caring and respect for others and are apt to see thesequalities in others as weaknesses.

They often achieve their short-term objectives, but at the expense of

working relationships, lost friendships, and respect of others.

The " Exploder" The Exploder's behavior is the equivalent of a temper tantrum. Theoutbursts are filled with rage that barely seems under control. At times,Exploders can lose control and throw things, shout, say regrettable things,or even strike others.

The " Complainer" The Complainer finds fault with everything from how you are doing your

job to the weather to how someone else should be doing or not doingsomething. The message behind the Complainer's behavior is thatsomeone should be doing something about their problems.


36/72

36

The " Calm" The Clam is the person who reacts to your questions or attempts toengage them in conversation with silence, a grunt, or some noncommittal

yes or no. When you attempt to open them up, they usually maintain their stance and offer little in the way of clarification of their position. For Clams, this method of interacting is designed to avoid painfulinterpersonal situations, express hostility, or avoid taking a position onsome issue. It usually masks fear, sullen anger, or a spiteful refusal tocooperate.

The " Wet Blanket" The Wet Blanket responds to any question or proposal with a quick andnegative response. Usually they say "It won't work" or "It's no use." TheWet Blanket is unable to move from the "fault-finding" position of rational problem solving to the action mode of problem solving, and thisis what differentiates them from others.


37/72

37

The " Know-It-All" The Know-It-All is the bulldozing expert on all matters. They project asense of absolute certainty about all matters, and usually leave others intheir wake feeling one-down, stupid, or worthless. They often react to

others' facts or knowledge with irritation, anger, or withdrawal. Whenquestioned about their plans, they often dump a profusion of facts andlogical arguments on their questioners.

Negotiations

Getting the better end of the deal during business negotiations issomething that seems impossible to the rookie negotiator. Some even

believe that doing business is an art, especially when it comes todiscussing business with other people and getting what you want. Thoughthere are those out there who make it seem like an art, many times it's justa carefully calculate formula.

1. Be Confident - Confidence is the most important thing you need.Without it, you won't get the better end of any deal. Show andexude confidence from the minute you walk in so that peoplerespect you and so they will be more wary about trying to put oneover you.

2. Be Charming - Many people give in to the charming entertaining person. Although you're there to discuss business, don't forget to becharming. Give small compliments and make a few appropriate

jokes. Showing the people you're dealing with that you're calm and


38/72

38

relaxed will make them feel calm and relaxed, hopefully puttingtheir guard down.

3. Respect Personal Needs - Always remember to respect the other party's personal needs. If certain things cannot be done in a

particular way because of a personal need, and you don't respectthat, you will always lose the deal.4. Have Some Non-Negotiable Terms - When entering any discussion

of a big deal, make sure you've prepared your non-negotiableterms. Laying your cards out on the table on what you're notwilling to give tells them that you are someone who can't bemowed over. As a trick, throw in a couple of things you are willingto let go among your non-negotiables, so that when you do give in,they'll think they've made you give something up. This can be your

bargaining chip for asking for something from them.5. Make it Win-Win Whenever Possible - Everyone knows that the

best business deals are those in which everyone wins. To be a greatnegotiator, you have try and make this possible every time or atleast make it so that the other person feels that it is so. There aresome situations in which win-win is impossible though, such aswith a competitor.

Business negotiations can be tricky, but if you prepare yourself mentally,they will be a cinch. Start slowly by practicing on your kids, friends, or family members. As you learn how people react to certain ideas, you will

become better and better at knowing what people want to hear and howyou can tell them what they want to hear and give them what they want,

but still get what you want too!


39/72

39

Di scuusion about Win/win negotiations:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

People negotiate differently and behave differently during the negotiation process.

We can observe different styles of negotiation and how different types of behaviour can affect the outcome of negotiations.

In commercial negotiations, some people negotiate quickly and take risks,others take their time and try to avoid risk. Some buyers are very loyal,others will automatically shop around. Some negotiators can be quiteintimidating to the point of being rude; others are quite passive and easilymanipulated.

This makes selling and negotiating a real challenge. To negotiate with allthese different buyer types we need to be able to adapt our behaviour and

be flexible in our approach.

To begin this process we can look at two aspects of buyer behaviour;assertiveness and responsiveness.

People who are assertive are confident and know what they want. Theyare not afraid to put forward opinions and are willing to listen to theopinions of others. They are not afraid of conflict and will be more thanhappy to argue their case.

People who are highly assertive can be seen as being aggressive while

people who lack assertiveness are often passive and get taken advantageof. There are times when it is appropriate to be more or less assertive andwe need to recognise when these times are.

Responsiveness means the extent to which people are willing to respondto us and our questions. Some people are highly responsive and will givelots of information about themselves, their problems and needs. Othersare unwilling or unable to respond in this way and we see these peopleoften as being negative or difficult.


40/72

40

We are all different and some of us are naturally assertive and some of usare not. Salespeople tend to be quite responsive, but sometimes we lack assertion. An example of this is during negotiations.

When customers put us under pressure to reduce prices or give discountswe find it difficult and uncomfortable and worry about damaging therelationship with the buyer.

There are four basic styles of behaviour and these are determined by theway, in which people relate to one another.

How can you ensure that you approach people in the correct way?

A person's Social Style is measured in relation to three behavioural

dimensions:

o Assertiveness

o Responsiveness

o Versatility.

The Assertiveness Scale :

Measures the degree to which a person is seen as attempting to influencethe thoughts, decisions or actions of others either directly by tell

behaviour or by questioning, i.e. ask behaviour.


41/72

41

Tell Behaviour : Is risk-taking, fast-paced, challenging.

Ask Behaviour : Is co-operative, deliberate actions, minimising risks.

The Responsiveness Scale :

Measures the degree to which a person either openly expresses their feelings or controls their feelings.

Control Behaviour : Is disciplined, serious, and cool.

Emote Behaviour : Is relationship oriented, open, and warm.

The two scales combine to give a two-dimensional model of behaviour,

which will help you to understand how others perceive you. Thedimensions of behaviour will also help you to plan how you can dealmore effectively with people of different Social Styles.

The Four Social Styles And How You Should Negotiate With Them :

Driver .The Director.

o Assertive but not responsive

o Task rather than people oriented.

o Decisive and determined

o Controlled emotions

o Set on efficiency and effectiveness.

o Likes control, often in a hurry.

o Firm, stable relationships

o Stubborn, tough.

o Impatient.

o Inflexible poor listener.

To Negotiate With Drivers :

o Plan to ask questions about and discuss specifics, actions and results.


42/72


43/72

43

o Use facts and logic.

o When necessary, disagree with facts rather than opinions. Be assertive.

o Keep it business-like, efficient and to the point.

o Personal guarantees and testimonials are least effective, better to provide options and facts.

o Do not invade personal space.

Expressive . The Socialiser.

o Assertive and responsive.

o Reactive, impulsive, decisions spontaneous, intuitive

o Placing more importance on relationships than tasks

o Emotionally expressive, sometimes dramatic.

o Flexible agenda, short attention span, easily loved.

o Enthusiastic.

o Strong persuasive skills, talkative and gregarious.

o Optimistic; takes risks.

o Creative.

To Negotiate With Expressives :

o Seek opinions in an area you wish to develop to achieve mutual

understanding.

o Discussion should be people as well as fact oriented.

o Keep summarising . work out specifics on points of agreement.

o Try short, fast moving experience stories.

o Make sure to pin them down in a friendly way.

o Remember to discuss the future as well as the present.


44/72

44

o Look out for the impulse buy.

Amiable The Supporter.

o Not assertive but responsive.

o Dependent on others.

o Respectful, willing and agreeable.

o Emotionally expressive.

o Everyone's friend; supportive; soft-hearted.

o Low risk taker, likes securityo Group builder.

o Over sensitive.

o Not goal orientated.

To Negotiate With Amiables :

o Work, jointly, seek common ground.o Find out about personal interests and family.

o Be patient and avoid going for what looks like an easy pushover.

o Use personal assurance and specific guarantees and avoid options and probabilities.

o Take time to be agreeable.

o Focus discussion on .how.

o Demonstrate low risk solutions.

o Don't take advantage of their good nature.

Analytical The Clinician.

o Not assertive, not responsive.

o Precise, orderly and business-like.


45/72

45

o Rational and co-operative.

o Self-controlled and serious.

o Motivated by logic and facts.

o Not quick to make decisions.

o Distrusts persuasive people.

o Like things in writing and detail.

o Security conscious.

o Critical, aloof.o Excellent problem solver.

o Likes rigid timetables.

To Negotiate With Analyticals :

o Take action rather than words to demonstrate helpfulness andwillingness.

o Stick to specifics . Analyticals expect salesmen to overstate.

o Their decisions are based on facts and logic and they avoid risk.

o They can often be very co-operative, but established relationships taketime.

o Consider telling them what the product won't do . they will respect youfor it, and they will have spotted the deficiencies anyway.

o Discuss reasons and ask why? questions.

o Become less responsive and less assertive yourself.


46/72

46

Decision making

Decision making is a key role for any manager or leader. Surprisinglymany people struggle when it comes to taking decisions. This might bedue to:

o Fear of failure

o Lack of a structured approach

o Procrastinating

o Lack of clarity

Whatever the barriers, there are 6 steps that you can follow when takingany decision.

1. Problem Definition

Before you can start to take any decisions, you need to be absolutely clear the problem you are trying to reach a decision on. One simple techniqueis just to write out in a sentence what the problem is that you need to takea decision on.

2. Assess the implications

All decisions have implications. If it is a decision at work, it hasimplications for you, your peers, your team and your superiors.

Depending on the decision (e.g. a promotion at work) it may even haveimplications for your family, especially if it involves relocation.


47/72

47

3. Explore different perspectives

Perspectives are simply different lenses through which you look at the problem. By exploring different perspectives you start to get a feel for

those that you are most attracted to.4. Get clear on your ideal outcome

When you are faced with a big decision, it is easy to get lost in the detailand circumstances. An alternative is to get clear on your ideal outcomeand use this ideal outcome to inform your choices. Imagine you aspire to

be a CFO of a Top 100 company. By having clarity on your outcome, youcan make choices on promotions and experience linked to this idealoutcome.

5. Weigh up pros and cons

Another way of looking at a decision is to consider the advantages anddisadvantages of each of the options open to you. Simply listing theadvantages and disadvantages of each option is a powerful way of moving forward on decisions.

6. Decide and act


48/72

48

Once you have gone through the previous 5 steps, commit to a choice or course of action and start to make it happen. To avoid procrastination,give yourself permission to be okay with any failings that might arise.

At the end of the day there is no magic formula for decision making.Following some simple steps and acting can however move you into therealm of effective decision maker.

Leadership Leadership styles and situational leadership

Theory XIn this theory, management assumes employees are inherently lazy andwill avoid work if they can. Because of this, workers need to be closelysupervised and comprehensive systems of controls developed. Ahierarchical structure is needed with narrow span of control at each level.According to this theory, employees will show little ambition without anenticing incentive program and will avoid responsibility whenever theycan.

The Theory X manager tends to believe that everything must end in blaming someone. He or she thinks all prospective employees are onlyout for themselves. Usually these managers feel the sole purpose of theemployees interest in the job is money. They will blame the person firstin most situations, without questioning whether it may be the system,

policy, or lack of training that deserves the blame.

Furthermore, Theory X supervisors cannot trust any employee, and theyreveal this to their support staff via their communications constantly. ATheory X manager can be said to be an impediment to employee moraleand productivity.

Managers that subscribe to Theory X, tend to take a rather pessimisticview of their employees. A Theory X manager believes that his or her employees do not really want to work, that they would rather avoidresponsibility and that it is the manager's job to structure the work andenergize the employee. The result of this line of thought is that Theory Xmanagers naturally adopt a more authoritarian style based on the threat of

punishment.One major flaw of this management style is it is much more likely to

cause Diseconomies of Scale in large businesses. Theory Y allows a
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Span_of_controlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Employeehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Managerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pessimistichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Employeehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authoritarianhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diseconomies_of_Scalehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diseconomies_of_Scalehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authoritarianhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Employeehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pessimistichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Managerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Employeehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Span_of_control


49/72

49

business to expand while making more profit because factory-floor workers have their own responsibilities.

Theory YIn this theory management assumes employees may be ambitious, self-motivated, anxious to accept greater responsibility, and exercise self-control, self-direction, autonomy and empowerment. It is believed thatemployees enjoy their mental and physical work duties. It is also believedthat if given the chance employees have the desire to be creative andforward thinking in the workplace. There is a chance for greater

productivity by giving employees the freedom to perform at the best of their abilities without being bogged down by rules.

A Theory Y manager believes that, given the right conditions, most people will want to do well at work and that there is a pool of unusedcreativity in the workforce. They believe that the satisfaction of doing agood job is a strong motivation in and of itself. A Theory Y manager willtry to remove the barriers that prevent workers from fully actualizingthemselves .

Many people interpret Theory Y as a positive set of assumptions aboutworkers. A close reading of The Human Side of Enterprise reveals thatMcGregor simply argues for managers to be open to a more positive viewof workers and the possibilities that this creates.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creativityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creativity


50/72

50

Leading Ski ll s Questionnair e

Directions: The following items describe aspects of leadership behavior.Respond to each item according to the way you would most likely act if you were the leader of a work group. Circle whether you would mostlikely behave in the described way:

Always = A, Frequently = F Occasionally = O, Seldom = S, or Never = N.

1. I would most likely act as the spokesman of the group.

2. I would encourage overtime work.

3. I would allow members complete freedom in their work.

4. I would encourage the use of uniform procedures.

5. I would permit the members to use their own judgment in solving problems.

6. I would stress being ahead of competing groups.

7. I would speak as a representative of the group.

8. I would needle members for greater effort.


51/72

51

9. I would try out my ideas in the group.

10. I would let the members do their work the way they think best.

11. I would be working hard for a promotion.

12. I would tolerate postponement and uncertainty.

13. I would speak for the group if there were visitors present.

14. I would keep the work moving at a rapid pace.

15. I would turn the members loose on a job and let them go to it.

16. I would settle conflicts when they occur in the group.

17. I would get swamped by details.

18. I would represent the group at outside meetings.

19. I would be reluctant to allow the members any freedom of action.

20. I would decide what should be done and how it should be done.

21. I would push for increased production.

22. I would let some members have authority, which I could keep.

23. Things would usually turn out as I predicted.

24. I would allow the group a high degree of initiative.

25. I would assign group members to particular tasks.

26. I would be willing to make changes.

27. I would ask the members to work harder.

28. I would trust the group members to exercise good judgment.

29. I would schedule the work to be done.


52/72

52

30. I would refuse to explain my actions.

31. I would persuade others that my ideas are to their advantage.

32. I would permit the group to set its own pace.

33. I would urge the group to beat its previous record.

34. I would act without consulting the group.

35. I would ask that group members follow the standard rulesand regulations.

Writing etiquette

Many people are intimidated by writing. Even so, there are times whenwriting is the best way to communicate, and oftentimes the only way toget your message across.

Write With Necessary Caution...

When writing, be mindful of the fact that once something is in writtenform, it cannot be taken back. Communicating through words can bemore concrete than verbal communications, with less room for error andeven less room for mistakes. This presents written communicators withnew challenges, including spelling, grammar, punctuation, even writingstyle and actual wording.

Thankfully, todays technology makes memo, letter and proposal writingmuch easier by providing reliable tools that check and even correctmisspelled words and incorrect grammar use. Unfortunately, these toolsare not fail proof and will require your support, making your knowledgein this area important.

The Importance of " Style" ...

Some of the most basic tips to remember when writing include:

Avoid the use of slang words


53/72

53

Try not to use abbreviations (unless appropriately defined) Steer away from the use of symbols (such as ampersands (&)) Clichs should be avoided, or at the very least, used with caution Brackets are used to play down words or phrases

Dashes are generally used for emphasis Great care should ALWAYS be taken to spell the names of people

and companies correctly Numbers should be expressed as words when the number is less

than 10 or is used to start a sentence (example: 10 years ago, my brother and I). The number 10, or anything greater than 10,should be expressed as a figure (example: My brother has 13Matchbox cars.)

Quotation marks should be placed around any directly quoted

speech or text and around titles of publications. Keep sentences short

While the above tips cover the most common mistakes made whenwriting letters, memos and reports, they in no way cover everything youneed to know to ensure your written communications are accurate andunderstood.

Letter Wri ting H in ts...

When writing letters, it is best to address the letter to an individual. And,when beginning the letter with a personal name, be sure to end it with anappropriate closing, such as Sincerely yours. If you cannot obtai n anindividuals name, consider ending it with a more generic (less personal)closing, such as With kindest regards.

For normal business letters, your letter should start with an overallsummary, showing in the first paragraph why the letter is relevant to the


54/72

54

reader. Its not a good practice to make the reader go past the first paragraph to find out why the letter was sent to them.

The body of the letter needs to explain the reason for the correspondence,

including any relevant background and current information. Make surethe information flows logically, ensuring you are making your pointseffectively.

The closing of the letter is the final impression you leave with the reader.End with an action point, such as I will call you later this week to discussthis further.

The Importance of Carefu l Proofi ng

Perhaps the most important thing to remember when writing a letter is tocheck it thoroughly when it is completed. Even when you think it isexactly what you want, read it one more time. This unwritten rule holdstrue for everything you write memos, letters, proposals, etc.

Use both the grammar and spell check on your computer, paying very,very close attention to every word highlighted. Do not place total faith onyour computer here. Instead, you should have both a printed dictionaryand thesaurus nearby to double-check everything your computers editing


55/72

55

tools highlight, as these tools are certainly not always reliable, for avariety of reasons.

When checking your written communication, make sure the document is

clear and concise. Is there anything in the written communication thatcould be misinterpreted? Does it raise unanswered questions or fail tomake the point you need to get across?

Can you cut down on the number of words used? For instance, dont use20 words when you can use 10. While you do not want to be abrupt, youdo not want to waste the rea ders time with unnecessary words or

phrases.

Is your written communication well organized? Does each idea proceedlogically to the next? Make sure your written communications are easy toread and contain the necessary information, using facts where needed andavoiding information that is not relevant. Again, outline the course of action you expect, such as a return call or visit.

Close appropriately and make sure to include your contact information.While this may seem obvious, it is sometimes overlooked and can makeyour written communications look amateurish. This can influence your chances of meeting your written communications goals.

Seven golden rules for professional writing:1 Courteous2 Consistent3 Clear 4 Comprehensive5 Concrete6 Correct7 Checked

They are called the seven C's as well.


56/72

56

Proof r eading exercise

"Accdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it

deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, theolny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be atthe rghit pclae. The rset can be a total mses and you cansitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamnmnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as awlohe. Amzanig, huh?"

Parts of business letter:

DateThe date line is used to indicate the date the letter was written. However,if your letter is completed over a number of days, use the date it wasfinished in the date line. When writing to companies within the UnitedStates, use the American date format. (The United States-basedconvention for formatting a date places the month before the day. For example: June 11, 2001. ) Write out the month, day and year two inchesfrom the top of the page. Depending which format you are using for your letter, either left justify the date or center it horizontally.

Sender's AddressIncluding the address of the sender is optional. If you choose to include it,

place the address one line below the date. Do not write the sender's nameor title, as it is included in the letter's closing. Include only the streetaddress, city and zip code. Another option is to include the sender'saddress directly after the closing signature.

Inside AddressThe inside address is the recipient's address. It is always best to write to aspecific individual at the firm to which you are writing. If you do nothave the person's name, do some research by calling the company or speaking with employees from the company. Include a personal title suchas Ms., Mrs., Mr., or Dr. Follow a woman's preference in being addressedas Miss, Mrs., or Ms. If you are unsure of a woman's preference in beingaddressed, use Ms. If there is a possibility that the person to whom youare writing is a Dr. or has some other title, use that title. Usually, people

will not mind being addressed by a higher title than they actually possess.To write the address, use the U.S. Post Office Format. For international


57/72

57

addresses, type the name of the country in all-capital letters on the lastline. The inside address begins one line below the sender's address or oneinch below the date. It should be left justified, no matter which formatyou are using.

SalutationUse the same name as the inside address, including the personal title. If you know the person and typically address them by their first name, it isacceptable to use only the first name in the salutation (for example: Dear Lucy:). In all other cases, however, use the personal title and full namefollowed by a colon. Leave one line blank after the salutation.If you don't know a reader's gender, use a nonsexist salutation, such as"To Whom it May Concern." It is also acceptable to use the full name in asalutation if you cannot determine gender. For example, you might writeDear Chris Harmon: if you were unsure of Chris's gender.

BodyFor block and modified block formats, single space and left justify each

paragraph within the body of the letter. Leave a blank line between each paragraph. When writing a business letter, be careful to remember thatconciseness is very important. In the first paragraph, consider a friendlyopening and then a statement of the main point. The next paragraphshould begin justifying the importance of the main point. In the next few

paragraphs, continue justification with background information andsupporting details. The closing paragraph should restate the purpose of the letter and, in some cases, request some type of action.

ClosingThe closing begins at the same horizontal point as your date and one lineafter the last body paragraph. Capitalize the first word only (for example:Thank you) and leave four lines between the closing and the sender'sname for a signature. If a colon follows the salutation, a comma shouldfollow the closing; otherwise, there is no punctuation after the closing.

EnclosuresIf you have enclosed any documents along with the letter, such as aresume, you indicate this simply by typing Enclosures one line below theclosing. As an option, you may list the name of each document you areincluding in the envelope. For instance, if you have included manydocuments and need to ensure that the recipient is aware of eachdocument, it may be a good idea to list the names.


58/72


59/72

59

remember to address them appropriately: Mrs., Ms., Mr., Dr., and so on.If you are not sure what is correct for an individual, try to find out howthat individual signs letters or consult the forms-of-address section in adictionary.

Salutation . The salutation directly addresses the recipient of the letter and is followed by a colon (except when a friendly, familiar, sociabletone is intended, in which case a comma is used). Notice that in thesimplified letter format, the salutation line is eliminated altogether. If youdon't know whether the recipient is a man or woman, the traditional

practice has been to write "Dear Sir" or "Dear Sirs" but that's sexist!To avoid this problem, salutations such as "Dear Sir or Madame," "Dear Ladies and Gentlemen," "Dear Friends," or "Dear People" have been tried

but without much general acceptance. Deleting the salutation linealtogether or inserting "To Whom It May Concern" in its place, is notordinarily a good solution either it's impersonal.

The best solution is to make a quick, anonymous phone call to theorganization and ask for a name; Or, address the salutation to adepartment name, committee name, or a position name: "Dear PersonnelDepartment," "Dear Recruitment Committee," "Dear Chairperson," "Dear Director of Financial Aid," for example.

Subject or reference line. The subject line replaces the salutation or isincluded with it. The subject line announces the main business of theletter.

Body of the letter . The actual message of course is contained in the bodyof the letter, the paragraphs between the salutation and the complimentaryclose. Strategies for writing the body of the letter are discussed in thesection on business-correspondence style.

Complimentary close . The "Sincerely yours" element of the businessletter is called the complimentary close. Other common ones are"Sincerely yours," "Cordially," "Respectfully," or "Respectfully yours."You can design your own, but be careful not to create florid or wordyones. Notice that only the first letter is capitalized, and it is alwaysfollowed by a comma.

Signature block . Usually, you type your name four lines below thecomplimentary close, and sign your name in between. If you are a woman

and want to make your marital status clear, use Miss, Ms., or Mrs. in parentheses before the typed version of your first name. Whenever
http://www.io.com/~hcexres/textbook/orderlet.htmlhttp://www.io.com/~hcexres/textbook/genlett.html#busstyle#busstylehttp://www.io.com/~hcexres/textbook/genlett.html#busstyle#busstylehttp://www.io.com/~hcexres/textbook/orderlet.html


60/72

60

possible, include your title or the name of the position you hold just below your name.

End notations . Just below the signature block are often severalabbreviations or phrases that have important functions.

Initials. The initials are those of the writer of the letter, and the typist.


61/72

61

Enclosures. To make sure that the recipient knows that items accompanythe letter in the same envelope, use such indications as "Enclosure,""Encl.," "Enclosures (2)." For example, if you send a resume and writingsample with your application letter, you'd do this: "Encl.: Resume and

Writing Sample." If the enclosure is lost, the recipient will know.Copies. If you send copies of a letter to others, indicate this fact amongthe end notations also. If, for example, you were upset by a localmerchant's handling of your repair problems and were sending a copy of your letter to the Better Business Bureau, you'd write this: "cc: Better Business Bureau." If you plan to send a copy to your lawyer, writesomething like this: "cc: Mr. Raymond Mason, Attorney."

Conversational etiquetteIn good social conversation we found that attention must be focusedoutside one's self. This is true of business conversation also, but in aslightly different way. In the social world you will be considered a goodconversationalist if you have the ability to stimulate your companion totalk. Provided that you both remain interested, it does not matter how theconversation may ramble. Business conversation, on the other hand,should always get somewhere; it must be held to its course. It is true thatsome successful salesmen, for example, have the gift of carrying onconversation in a leisurely manner, as if talking for pleasure only, but inreality they are working toward a goal. They will not let the talk drift sofar that they cannot lead it back to the point.

In business conversation, then, you must have something definite to sayand you must direct that message to your hearer. Vague ideas are not


62/72

62

enough and simply thinking aloud or talking to yourself will accomplishnothing. To be fully effective you must know well what you are talkingabout; you must make yourself understood; you must hold the attention of your listener, and create in him a desire to act as you wish.

How to Make Yourself UnderstoodDoes anyone ever say, "What did you say?" or "I don't quite understandwhat you mean," after you have given instructions or made a comment?Has an employee ever done something contrary to your instructions

because he failed to understand just what you were trying to tell him?You think he didn't listen carefully? That may be true, but before you

blame him, ask yourself whether you spoke as clearly as you could,whether your instructions were definite and comprehensive. If othersmisunderstand you, or if you are frequently asked to repeat or explainyour statements, the fault must be yours.

Is your enunciation slovenly? Do you dictate or give instructions withoutremoving your cigar or cigarette from your mouth? Perhaps a littleattention to speaking more distinctly will make your speech moreeffective. Do you talk too fast for your slow-minded employees to graspyour meaning? Remember, you know what you are going to say, but your listener must have time to grasp the idea before he can act intelligently.Do you suit your vocabulary to the understanding of the person you areaddressing? Subordinates are often afraid to admit that they don'tunderstand the meaning of a word or expression, and as a result they failto carry out instructions properly.

If you have a number of persons working under your direction, you areresponsible for their work. The way in which you give instructions will,in large measure, determine the final results.

No less important is the ability to ex-press yourself clearly whenreporting to superiors. The subordinate must keep those above him in-formed of matters in his charge. The larger the organization the moremust its officials depend for information and suggestions upon thoseemployees who hold key positions.

A word of caution is needed here. Don't talk too much. Speak conciselyand to the point, for time is at a premium.

Another situation which calls for the ability to talk clearly and to the

point is the business conference. Here men meet as equals. It is the abilityto speak and not a man's position that wins for him the right to be heard.


63/72

63

You may have in mind a plan that you wish to propose, but as long as the plan is merely in your head, it is of no use. You must communicate theidea to others; you must be able to make a clear and graphic explanation.

In a conference of equals you are not faced with the difficulty of "speaking another man's language"; you do not have the problem of making an explanation in terms that a person with less training canunderstand, as in giving instructions to a subordinate; you do not have thefeeling that you are, in a sense, on trial before a superior and must becareful to do justice to yourself. Nevertheless conferences are often veryunsatisfactory. Usually a great deal of time and energy are wasted ingetting under way; there is much aim-less, rambling talk that getsnowhere. Much time could be saved and

executive office management

Documents