BIG, BAD Productivity Myths

BIG, BAD Productivity Myth #3: Attend a time management class.

 

I have heard it said that "If you want to waste time, go to a time management class." Though some people can and do benefit from time management instruction...there is an equal (and possibly larger) group of people that do not benefit...to the extent that time management courses can even be counterproductive.

 

Why are time management classes helpful to some and not at all helpful to others? 

 

The answer is simple: because there is no one right way to manage your time. You do not have to follow a particular time-blocking chart or module scheduling to be successful. The key to being responsible with your time is to find the method that works best for you. Maybe multi-tasking and dealing with interruptions/crises as they come is your most efficient method. Maybe taking on tasks one-by-one and scheduling each component of your day is more comfortable for you. Either way, it's your best way of managing time that matters...not someone else's.

 

Don't Underestimate Learned Behaviors

I was in a coaching session with a client who is what I refer to as a "resistant Follow Thru." That translates into a talented multi-tasker who takes shortcuts and seeks out the most efficient (fastest) route to a result. He is consistently inconsistent and most of all...definitely NOT organized. His desk and office were a mess -- all in keeping with his innate method of operating. He would probably say, "Why take the time to organize if you have something to get done?"

 

However, when we started talking about his personal life, he revealed to me that he organizes the clothes in his closet by color. I almost fell out of my chair. That behavior was completely out of character for him. Upon further probing, I found out that his mother insisted that he and his siblings organize their closets by color when growing up. Clearly, the learned behavior became ingrained in his childhood and thus stuck with him into adulthood. 

 

As with my client, learned behavior can be a strong force -- an overriding power -- to our instincts. In some cases, this force is positive and we can harness learned behaviors to our advantage. In other cases, learned behaviors can be very harmful to our personal productivity and satisfaction.

 

When are learned behaviors good?

 

Learned behaviors are positive when they become "mindless" habits. In fact, making something a habit (a sort of redundant learned behavior) is a strategy for dealing with activities that force us to function outside of our natural talents. For example, I do not naturally stick to a schedule - at least not a rigid one. Yet, some things just have to happen regularly...like paying bills. So I've made it a habit to divide bills according to mid-month and end-of-the-month payment as soon as I receive them. I have repeated this activity so many times that I don't think about it or commit much effort to it anymore. So the learned behavior, though somewhat contrary to my natural instincts, is a positive and even protective strategy.      

 

When are learned behaviors bad?  

 
Learned behaviors are bad when they override our natural instincts to the point that 1) we feel stress and/or 2) we lose sight of what our natural instincts really are. A prime example is of a person who puts a great deal of energy into following a time management system that she learned in a training program. It is a system that she fully understands and is expected to follow, but is not at all something she would naturally use. So the stress and frustration of forcing herself to follow the system is much greater than the benefit. Another example is of a person who has performed an activity for so long, that he just assumes it must be natural to him. Slowly, the person starts to define himself by his activities and behaviors, rather than his innate instincts for taking action.

 

I recently heard a story about a lion at a zoo who was put in a very small, temporary cage while his much larger habitat was being remodeled. Unfortunately, the renovation took far longer than planned, and the lion became very used to his tight quarters. When the time finally came to release the animal into his expansive new home, he stayed within a small area....which happened to be the same size of his temporary cage. The lion had learned new boundaries, and lost the freedom to be himself (and even the understanding of what that meant). The raw drive and "boundary-less-ness" of the animal was replaced with learned parameters.

 

How do you foster the good learned behaviors and ward off the bad ones?

 

The simplest and easiest answer is self-awareness. Most people - like the lion - aren't even aware of the habits or activities that they acquire over time and are outside of their instinctual way of performing. Simply identifying your learned behaviors is a major step in ensuring that they do not dull or overtake your natural and perfect talents. 

Building an Effective Sales Support Team

I recently attended a seminar by Jeffrey Gitomer (a bestselling business author). It was packed full of valuable information and advice - as evidenced by my 8 pages of notes - but one thing Gitomer said stuck out to me in particular. The title of the seminar was "Got Sales Attitude?" and he was speaking mostly on his book "Little Gold Book of 'Yes!' Attitude." Thus most of the room was not-surprisingly comprised of salespersons. Toward the end of his speech, Gitomer made a point that most salespeople hate paperwork, tracking, reports, etc., and should hire support staff to take care of the administrative end of the sales process. All of the heads in the room bobbled avidly in agreement. 

It's a simple concept: if you hate or aren't good at doing something, then don't. Instead, build a team of support that can pick up where you leave off. Yet, the sales industry - in particular - often requires that one person BOTH sell (prospect, cold call, network, make and close the deal) AND administrate (fill out tracking forms, write activity and performance reports, attend daily "check-in" meetings, keep a database of prospects). These high and conflicting demands quickly burn out salespersons, or make them bitter toward management for the exhausting and unrealistic expectations. 

So how do you go about building an effective sales support team?

• First and foremost: interview your current sales team. Determine their needs and stressors. Ask where their time and talents are best used and where a support team would come into play. Also, ask what activities drain their energy the most. 

• Be sure the sales team and the support team can relate. In most organizations, the sales and administrative staff might as well be speaking a different language. Their two approaches to work (and frankly, the world in general) are so opposite that a successful partnership is a rare occurrence. It is important to strike an effective balance of methods, rather than joining opposing forces. 

• If your organization does not have the resources or capabilities to bring on new staff, look inside your organization for existing talent. Salespersons are natural negotiators. Allow them to barter their talents for the help of others (ie. "I will handle these phone calls if you would handle these files."). If there is flexibility within the job roles and responsibilities, then your employees will more naturally create a supporting/complementary relationship.  

It is undoubtedly extra effort on the front end, but establishing a team of support for your sales staff saves time and money in the long run, as it allows your sales force to do what it does best...sell!! Don't cripple your sales team and your business overall by requiring your salespersons to be all things to all people.