Tool Kit – Shaun Coffey

January 6, 2021

Time Management Hints

Discipline yourself to do what needs to be done until it becomes a habit.

Set aside enough time to get a job done.

Keep your desk and office clean and organised.

Only have on your desk whatever you are currently working on.

Handle an item twice only – once to prioritise and once to action.

January 5, 2021

3 keys to productivity

Set DEADLINES

Concentrate on OUTPUTS. Preparation time, analysis, backgrounding, et cetera are necessary but alone achieve nothing. Place emphasis on output rather than input.

Look for EFFICIENT ways to be EFFECTIVE. Streamline everything you do and do these things well.

January 3, 2021January 4, 2021

Think like a business owner

A good way to think about where to put your effort and use your time.

Ask

Is this the best use of my time?

if not, how do I do this for the last time?

Then

Replace low value activities with those of higher value

January 2, 2021January 4, 2021

An expert model for engineers

Nine work strategies for career success.

Taking initiative: accepting responsibility above and beyond your stated job, volunteering for additional activities, and promoting new ideas.
Networking: getting direct and immediate access to coworkers with technical expertise and sharing your own knowledge with those who need it.
Self-management: regulating your own work commitments, time, performance level, and career growth.
Teamwork effectiveness: assuming joint responsibility for work activities, coordinating efforts, and accomplishing shared goals with coworkers.
Leadership: formulating, stating, and building consensus on common goals and working to accomplish them.
Followership: helping the leader accomplish the organisation’s goals and thinking for yourself rather than relying solely on managerial direction.
Perspectives: seeing your job in its larger context and taking on other viewpoints like those of the customer, manager, and work team.
Show-and-tell: presenting your ideas persuasively in written or oral form.
Organisational savvy: navigating the competing interests in an organisation, be they individual or group, to promote cooperation, address conflicts, and gets things done.

Source: Kelley R and Caplan J (1993) How Bell labs creates star performers. Harvard Business Review, July-August, pp.128ff