Project Management
Success Tools for Staying on Top of Priorities, Projects,
People, Deadlines, and Budgets
Curriculum Guide
Developed by Laurie Brown
March 2008
National Seminars Group
a Division of Rockhurst University Continuing Education Center, Inc.
Project Management
Project Management at a Glance
This workshop should get participants thinking about how effective they are and can be:
•
Why? Why participate in project management training? We will demonstrate to adult
participants the value of project management training and motivate them to actively
engage in the training and to make improved organization a way of life in the
workplace.
•
What? What do you need to do be a successful project manager? Participants will
understand the general principles of good organization, budget management and
assertive communications
•
How? Participants learn general guidelines for good organization, both in planning
and organizing paperwork. They will also learn how to become a successful
communicator
Job Aids
Job aids accompany this workshop to allow participants to continue their training experience
on the job. These job aids (1) eliminate excuses and (2) give them a reminder of their
training and application. They are welcome to reproduce these job aids to make them work
for them and their co-workers. They give them ideas on eliminating stress and create
budgets and get organized. All tips on the job aids will be thoroughly discussed in the
seminar. It would be great to refer to the fact that they have cheat sheets they can
reproduce to take with them to meetings or to display in areas that would be most
productive to them.
Pre- and Post-tests
The workshop features a pre- and post-test. The information for the pre- and post-tests can
be found in the workbooks and in the overheads. The test questions are linked to the
program’s objectives. If your participants are taking these tests, make sure that you address
these topics during your presentation. PRE-TEST NOTE: Participants attending this course
will have taken the pre-test in advance of the seminar date. It is important that you review
the answers to the test at the beginning of the program.
Target Audience and Course Tailoring Suggestions
This program is targeted for that middle of the road employee who is not given the title of
project manager but tends to manage project after project. For example, the administrative
assistants given the task of assisting their managers through the multitude of projects they
are expected to complete.
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Project Management
Course Goal and Learning Objectives
Workshop Goal:
To learn ways we can complete the multitude of projects that come our way in a timely and
economical way.
Successful completion of this course will increase participant knowledge and ability to:
1. Eliminate habits that are interfering with productivity
2. Identify and manage priorities
3. Control stress before it controls you
4. Communicate more effectively
5. Assess and manage project budgets
6. Get organized
7. Learn to say “No”
8. Use Outlook to manage your day
9. Be an effective project manager
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© 2007 National Seminars Group,
a Division of Rockhurst University Continuing Education Center, Inc.
3
Project Management
Course Timing
Type of Activity
Segment
Time
Facilitate
Introduction
5 minutes
Facilitate
Course objectives
10 minutes
Facilitate/Written
exercise/discussion
Kick Those Bad Habits to the curb
15 minutes
Facilitate
7 Steps for Ending Procrastination
15 minutes
Facilitate/quiz/discussion Perfectionism
15 minutes
Facilitate/Written
exercise
Goal Setting
20 minutes
Break
15 minutes
Facilitate
Stop Juggling and Start managing
those priorities
30 minutes
Facilitate/Small-group
exercise
Interruptions
20 minutes
Facilitate/ quiz and
discussion
Meetings
30 minutes
Facilitate/ small group
activity
Conquer the #1 Roadblock to Effective
Project Management: Communications
30 minutes
Lunch
1 hour and 15
minutes
Communicating in Difficult Situations
from Criticism to Conflict
10 minutes
Facilitate
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a Division of Rockhurst University Continuing Education Center, Inc.
4
Project Management
Type of Activity
Segment
Facilitate
Strategies for Clear Communication Up
10 minutes
and Down the project Line
Facilitate/Group Activity
Prevent Stress From Breaking You
Down
30 minutes
Facilitate
Stop Negativity
5 minutes
Break
20 minutes
Facilitate/ Group Activity
Plan Your Work
20 minutes
Facilitate
Organization Strategies and Tools
15 minutes
Facilitate/Role Play
5 Quick and Easy Personal Filing
Systems
15 minutes
Facilitate/discussion
12 Steps to Making More Accurate
Cost Estimates
20 minutes
Facilitate/disucssion
exercise
Bonus Session: Use Outlook for Better
Project Management
30 minutes
Facilitate
A Handy Desk Reference With Quick
Tips and Shortcuts
Time
5 minutes
Facilitate/Written
exercise
Action Plan
10 minutes
Facilitate
Concluding Comments
5 minutes
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© 2007 National Seminars Group,
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5
Project Management
Brochure Bullet Coverage
Brochure points are listed as they appear in the brochure – not in the order in which they
appear in the course workbook.
Brochure Point
Page Title(s) Where Covered
How to tackle the most common bad habits that
interfere with productivity
Kick Those Bad Habits to the Curb
7 Steps for ending procrastination
7 Steps for ending procrastination
Strategies for developing A+ work habits
Throughout the book
When and how to put a stop to your inner perfectionist Perfectionism
20 bright ideas for handling time-stealers and
interruptions
Interruptions
What to do when you’re being “meeting-ed” to death
Meetings
Identifying what’s most important when everything is
high-priority
Stop Juggling and Start Managing Those
priorities
Learn the F.A.S.T. system for successful priority
management
Stop Juggling and Start Managing Those
priorities
How to prioritize when you have more than one boss
Stop Juggling and Start Managing Those
priorities
Rid yourself of non-priority tasks and duties you can
delegate
Stop Juggling and Start Managing Those
priorities
Powerful planning techniques that will prevent stress
later
Throughout the book
Goal Setting that will help you remain in control of
your projects
Goal Setting
Pareto’s Principle for planning and using the 80/20
rule to focus your work
Plan Your Work
5 quick and easy personal filing systems
5 quick and easy personal filing systems
The secret to making your to-do list work for you
instead of against you
Plan Your Work
Organization strategies and tools for handling one or
many projects all at once
Organization strategies and tools for
handling one or many projects all at once
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Project Management
Brochure Bullet Coverage, Continued
Brochure Point
Page Title(s) Where Covered
Getting mixed messages? Keys to ensuring you have
clear direction and what to do when you don’t
Conquer the #1 Roadblock to Effective
Project Management: communication
Talking with your boss when there’s absolutely too
much on your plate
Conquer the #1 Roadblock to Effective
Project Management: communication
Secrets to getting what you need from others
Conquer the #1 Roadblock to Effective
Project Management: communication
How to say “no” with tact
Interruptions
Strategies for clear Communication up and down the
project line
Strategies for clear Communication up
and down the project line
Communicating in difficult situations, from criticism to
conflict
Communicating in difficult situations, from
criticism to conflict
Identifying and eliminating your greatest time-wasters
Throughout the book
Strategies for making the most of your time and
reaching optimal productivity
Throughout the book
Deadlines 101: Tips for assessing how long a project
will really take
Meet Every Deadline with Amazing Time
Management Skills
Planning strategies for when your competing
deadlines all fall around the same time
Meet Every Deadline with Amazing Time
Management Skills
The impossible deadline: How to deal
Meet Every Deadline with Amazing Time
Management Skills
12 steps to making more accurate cost estimates
12 steps to making more accurate cost
estimates
Keys to analyzing your budget constraints easily and
accurately
12 steps to making more accurate cost
estimates
How to assess and assign risk when budgeting
12 steps to making more accurate cost
estimates
Communication tips for when your project comes in
over budget
12 steps to making more accurate cost
estimates
How Outlook can help you manage projects more
effectively
Bonus session: Use Outlook for Better
Project Management
Learn about all the tools available
Bonus session: Use Outlook for Better
Project Management
Stay on top of your priorities with tips for managing
your e-mail in box and creatively filing your email
Stay on top of your priorities
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7
Project Management
Brochure Point
Page Title(s) Where Covered
Using the Outlook calendar to manage your time and
plan your work
Stay on top of your priorities
Tips for using Outlook to facilitate teamwork
Throughout Outlook section
Receive a Handy desk reference with quick tips and
shortcuts
Handy desk reference with quick tips and
shortcuts
8 foolproof stress-busters for remaining calm, cool,
and collected when everything else is falling apart
around you
Prevent stress from breaking you down
Remembering that stress IS contagious and making
sure your stress doesn’t spread to others- and vice
versa
Prevent stress from breaking you down
Strategies for dealing with “toxic” stressors and “toxic”
people
Prevent stress from breaking you down
How to stop negativity and worry from robbing you of
your productivity
Stop Negativity
Tips for staying positive when the pressure is on
Stop Negativity
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© 2007 National Seminars Group,
a Division of Rockhurst University Continuing Education Center, Inc.
8
Project Management
Project Management Pre-Test
1. The most common bad habits include which of the following?
a.
b.
c.
d.
procrastination
perfectionism
poor communication skills
all of the above
2. True or false. One of the best things you can do to stop procrastinating is to take
a break.
a. True
b. False
3. Goal setting is more than just writing it down. It needs to be:
a.
b.
c.
d.
Told to others
Familiar
Measurable
All of the above
4. True or false. Your energy level is a key factor in setting priorities.
a. True
b. False
5. True or false. When trying to control interruptions, it is better to meet in your
office.
a. True
b. False
6. True or false. E-mail alerts are a wonderful time-saver.
a. True
b. False
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9
Project Management
Project Management Pre-Test
7. Which of the following are ways to control stress?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Drink water
Breathe
Exercise
Delegate
All of the above
8. “Toxic” people are everywhere, we can control them if we:
a.
b.
c.
d.
Plan time with them
Give them time to tell us their concerns
Get them to be specific
Agree with what they are saying
9. Pareto’s principle for project management is.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
20% of our time should be spent on 80% of our projects
20% of our work should take 80% of our time
20% of our work is both important and urgent
None of the above
All of the above
10. A method for organizing your files includes:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Color-coding
Order of favorites
Miscellaneous
Numbering
All of the above
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10
Project Management
Pretest Question to Learning Objective Grid
Test Question
Learning
Objective
Location in WB
The most common bad habits include which of the following? D:
All of the above- procrastination, perfectionism and poor
communication skills
1
Kick the Bad Habits to the curb
True or false. One of the best things you can do to stop
procrastinating is to take a break. True
1
Kick the Bad Habits to the curb
2
Goal Setting
True or false. Your energy level is a key factor in setting priorities.
True
2
Stop juggling and start managing those
priorities
True or false. When trying to control interruptions, it is better to
meet in your office. False
9
True or false. E-mail alerts are a wonderful time-saver. False
8
Which of the following are ways to control stress? E. All of the
above- drink water, breathe, exercise, and delegate
3
“Toxic” people are everywhere, we can control them if we: C. Get
them to be specific
4
Goal setting is more than just writing it down. It needs to be: C.
Measurable
Pareto’s principle for project management is. D. All of the above20% of our time should be spent on 80% of our projects, 20% of
our work should take 80% of our time, 20% of our work is both
important and urgent.
A method for organizing your files includes: D. All of the aboveColor-coding, Order of favorites, miscellaneous and numbering
Interruptions
Stay on Top of Your Priorities
Tips for Managing Your E-mail Inbox and
Creatively Filing Your E-mail
Prevent stress from breaking you down
Stop Negativity
Plan your work
2
Organization strategies and tools
6
Course Learning Objectives
1. Eliminate habits that are interfering with productivity
2. Identify and manage priorities
3. Control stress before it controls you
4. Communicate more effectively
5. Assess and manage project budgets
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11
Project Management
6. Get organized
7. Learn to say “No”
8. Use Outlook to manage your day
9. Be an effective project manager
Instructor notes
Visual aid
Notes
Supporting
information
OH (Course
title)
Welcome participants
5 minutes
Point out the materials that are available to participants.
Review logistical information.
Share information about yourself to establish your
credibility.
Introduction and Course
Objectives
Time: 10 minutes
Ask participants why they think they are there. Is it just
something that the company is forcing them to do? Will it
be relevant in their lives? Is it a waste of time?
Have them also write down at least 2 projects they are
currently working on and encourage them to refer to these
throughout the seminar as we take a look at ways to make
them more productive with those projects and others.
OHs (2)
(Course
Objectives)
Course objectives
Show OHs “Course Objectives.” Use the course
objectives to give a preview of what participants will be
learning. In the successful formula for training adults, “tell
them what you are going to tell them, tell them, tell them
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12
Project Management
Visual aid
Notes
Supporting
information
what you told them,” these objectives let participants be
prepared for what they will learn. In your concluding
remarks, you will review these objectives to “tell them what
you told them.”
Kick Those Bad Habits to the Curb
10 minutes
BP: Tackle the Most Common Bad Habits That Interfere
With Productivity
Set up: We are going to spend the entire workshop
looking at ways to improve our productivity. Let’s start
from the beginning taking a look at how we shoot
ourselves in the foot.
Set up this scenario for the audience and basically act it
out. It can open their eyes in a humorous way to
something that happens almost everyday!
Have you ever experienced this moment?
You are sitting at your desk with multiple piles stacked in
front of you. Your phone is ringing. Your calendar is open
and your day is completely full. As you prepare to attend
one of your many scheduled meetings, a co-worker comes
up and asks, “Are you busy?”
We are going to look at ways to effectively answer this
question. We will determine how to work smarter, not
harder. Sometimes, this sounds too good to be true. It
isn’t. First, we will identify our bad habits and put a stop to
them.
Before we can tackle the habits, we need to identify
them. Here is a list of the most common bad habits:
www.about-goalsetting.com/timemanagement.html
This resource
gives you a list of
questions to think
about when
questioning goal
setting and time
management
Could be some
questions you
would pose to the
group to get them
thinking about
their bad habits
and how they plan
their day.
1. Procrastination
2. Trying to be a perfectionist
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Project Management
Visual aid
Notes
Supporting
information
3. Poor goal setting
OH (Tackle
4. Lack of organization
the Most
5. Ineffective communications
Common
Bad Habits
Show OH “Tackle the most common bad habits that
that interfere
interfere with productivity.”
with
productivity) Give an example for each and ask them how many will
plead guilty to at least one of them. We need to get them
to buy into the fact they are part of the reason they are
here, especially for those that were sent.
So what: Knowing what we do to impact our productivity is
the first step to becoming more productive.
Pivot: Breaking down the list… start with procrastination
7 Steps for Ending Procrastination
10 minutes
BP: 7 Steps for ending procrastination
Set up: Procrastination is a tricky issue.
For some people they like to brag that they are a
procrastinator and still get their work done and it is quality
work. This can be true, but procrastinators work longer
hours.
Discuss the dictionary definition of procrastination in their
workbook and talk about the missed opportunities because
of procrastination. Time with family and missing out on
other projects. Plus, people that turn items in early just
appear more productive.
Procrastination
According to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, to
procrastinate means “to put off intentionally the doing of something
that should be done.” Procrastination is a postponing behavior.
Procrastinators tend to work longer hours because of their lack of
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© 2007 National Seminars Group,
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http://psychologyt
oday.com/rss/pto20030823000001.html
Here is a scientific
approach to
procrastination
that would be
great information
to add.
Some
procrastinate due
to fear of failure
and some do it
because they
can’t make a
decision
Only 20% of
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Project Management
Visual aid
Notes
Supporting
information
organization and spending time on the wrong tasks.
people recognize
they are
procrastinators. It
not only impacts
their job, but also
their home life
OH (7 Steps
Show OH “7 Steps to Ending Procrastination” and give
to Ending
Procrastinati examples for each step and how they build on one
another.
on)
Step One- Plan! Without a plan, it is too easy to get
distracted. Create a to-do list with deadline-driven items
along with your long-term projects. This helps you to
envision the big picture and how the pieces fit together. It is
also helpful information for others to see.
Step Two- Simplify! Keep your plan simple, so it doesn’t appear
overwhelming. Over- planning is another form of procrastination.
It is important to
overcome. It
becomes
something that
takes over control
of a person.
Step Three- Prioritize! When creating the to-do list, rank the items in
order of priority. Stephen Covey says to put “first things first”; that is
about as clear as you can make it.
Step Four- Separate! Find items that take 5-15 minutes and sprinkle
them through your to-do list. It motivates you to tackle larger projects
if you have finished smaller ones. And by completing these smaller
projects, you will already feel productive.
Step Five- Reward! Review your to-do list from time to time and
reward yourself for completing tasks. The reward can be a quick
break or even working on another project that you look forward to
doing.
Step Six- Balance! Be sure to take as much time doing as you are
planning. Remember, over-planning is procrastination. An
overwhelming list can stress us more than the actual work.
Step Seven- Review! Before you leave for the day, take 5-10
minutes for one last review of what you accomplished today and
start your to-do list for tomorrow. Coming in the next day with a plan
already in place makes it easy to dive right in.
So what: Taking time to plan will help us to eliminate
some of our procrastination habits.
Pivot: Now, there is planning and then there are those
who stress over having the “perfect” plan. This can wreak
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15
Project Management
Visual aid
Notes
Supporting
information
havoc if we give into perfectionism. Lets take a quiz.
Perfectionism
10 minutes
Set up: Perfectionism isn’t something people really think
about. You either are or you aren’t. Many perfectionist are
surprised to find out they are, while others know they are
but don’t admit to it.
Give 2 minutes and ask the group to take the quiz in their
book on their own.
Perfectionism
A Quiz
See what you know about perfectionists:
1. Perfectionists are great about getting things done and done
well.
www.utexas.edu/s
tudent/cmhc/bookl
ets/perfection/perf
ect.html
Perfectionists do
not have a
healthy outlook on
life. They are
trying to achieve
perfection every
time and tend to
obsessive about
things- actually
can be very
insecure in their
view in
themselves which
impacts the view
of projects, life,
etc.
True or False
2. Perfectionists tend to set standards beyond reach.
True or False
3. Perfectionists are self-assured.
True or False
4. Perfectionists can be very defensive when criticized.
True or False
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Project Management
Visual aid
Notes
Supporting
information
OHs
Show: OHs (2 slides) “Perfectionism” This will show them
(Perfectionis the answers to the questions.
m)
Question 1- could surprise people of the fact that
perfectionism is a cause of people to procrastinate or
simply not finish a project due to the fact it isn’t perfect.
Question 2- not too surprising, but still need to reiterate
how this impacts their work
After discussing the 2nd question move to next slideQuestion 3- This can be surprising- they want it done
perfectly; they tend to come across as arrogant, but really
are insecure in many ways. They don’t always feel they
measure up- hence the need to be perfect to prove to
themselves and others they belong and are in control.
Question 4- speaks for itself
Discuss: Perfectionism can be debilitating- the key to
trying to control this is planning. Looking at the big picture
as much as they can. Then working piece by piece to
make the big picture come to life. It is ok to make
mistakes, we all do and it is especially important to ask for
help. It isn’t a sign of weakness, but instead a sign of
strength.
So What: Making a plan and setting deadlines can help
control perfectionism and keep us on track to meet
realistic goals.
Pivot: Knowing how to effectively set goals will help us to
be successful and productive.
Goal Setting
15 minutes
Set up: To successfully overcome procrastination and
perfectionism requires making a plan and setting goals.
Goals aren’t something you simply write down and follow.
They need to be SMART goals
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www.goal-settingguide.com/smartgoals.html
This website
takes the SMART
goals a step
further in telling
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Visual aid
Notes
BP: Goal Setting that will help you remain in control of
your projects
OH (Poor
Goal
Setting)
Show: OH “ Poor Goal Setting”- have the audience help
you with what is missing from these goals
Supporting
information
people what type
of wording to use
when writing
goals
Discuss why these goals aren’t effective and what
OH (SMART components are missing
OH “ SMART Goal Setting”- have the audience tell you the
Goal
difference with these goals from those that are poor
Setting)
Discuss what components make up these effective goals
OHs
(Defining the
SMART
Goals)
OH (2 slides) Defining the SMART goalsTalk about S, M, and A on the smart goals and then switch
to next slide to finish talking about the smart goals R and
T. You might have them define R and T before you move
on if you have a group that wants more interaction
Talk about each component and how the build on one
another. Also use this to talk about overcoming
procrastination and perfectionism. That this is going to be
key in getting and staying on task. It forces us to see the
big picture and breaking it down to realistic and doable
pieces.
Discuss- each component of the SMART goal settingGoal setting is more than simply writing down what you want to
complete. Goals can help you prioritize! The goal statement sets the
stage. It needs to be specific so we know what we’re trying to
achieve, and measurable so we know when we achieve it. For
years, experts have set out SMART goal setting:
Specific- What’s your goal?
Measurable- What are the steps necessary to accomplish the goal?
Action-oriented- Write your goal in a way that helps you buy into
achieving the goal. This keeps us positive and committed.
Realistic- Can we financially afford this goal? Do we have the time?
Time and Resource constrained- When will the goal be completed?
How will it get done? Who can help us? What tools do we need?
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18
Project Management
Visual aid
Notes
Supporting
information
Weight Watchers® and other successful weight-loss companies use
this goal setting technique to help people lose weight. When you join
the program, you’re asked how much you want to lose and why you
want to lose it. (Specific) They will tell you how many weeks/months
you can expect it will take to achieve the goal. (Measurable) You
attend weekly meetings to weigh in and learn more about the
process. (Action-oriented) When you sign up they provide a time
frame, specific measurement, cost and diet plan to achieve your
goal. (Realistic; Time and Resource) They are successful because
they demonstrate a detailed method to achieve success.
Brief exerciseHave the group look at their current projects they are
working on have them jot down key points about their
current project to meet each item of the smart goal setting.
Using the wording create goals for their projects.
Challenge them to be precise like Weight Watchers has done so
effectively.
So what: Goal setting sets the stage to identifying
priorities and eliminating the unnecessary.
Pivot: When setting goals, you need to figure out your
priorities that need to be completed to meet the needs of
you and your team. Let’s look at how to determine the
priorities in our day.
Stop Juggling and Start Managing Those
Priorities
30 minutes
BP: Here is the F.A.S.T. method to priority management:
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© 2007 National Seminars Group,
a Division of Rockhurst University Continuing Education Center, Inc.
Stephen Coveyreally hit the nail
with his book 7
Habits
And First Things
First
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Project Management
Visual aid
Notes
Supporting
information
Set up: We can keep busy during the day. That isn’t usually the
issue. We need to make sure we are busy doing the right things that
are meeting the goals we have set for ourselves and our team.
First- Do first what needs to be done first. You need to do more
than schedule everything that needs to be done. You must also
schedule priorities. To determine the priority of a task, you need to
identify 1) who needs it and 2) how important or urgent it is.
Analyze- How is your time spent? Take a day, a few days, a week
to track everything you do. Log where your time is spent. This is
the easiest way to identify and eliminate your greatest time-wasters.
Schedule- Tasks based on your energy level. Look at your
schedule and figure out where your energy is at its highest and
lowest. Use this valuable information in planning your projects. Do
the projects that take more concentration at a time you have fewer
interruptions and more energy. Do follow-up and routine items when
you have less energy. This is the best strategy for making the most
of your time and reaching optimal productivity.
Time limits- Assign a time limit to the task, so you have a
deadline. It is easier for us to see a task as a priority when it has a
mandatory endpoint.
Discuss: Challenge them to go back and analyze how they spend
their time. Take a week and log how they spend their time. Talk
about doing priority things first. How do they determine this? What is
both important and urgent- not defined by others. Schedule tasks
and it is critical to have time limits.
BP: How to Prioritize When You Have More Than One
Boss
Discuss: Wow, working for more than one boss can throw a kink
into things if we let it. The key is to communicate with everyone.
Make sure all supervisors are on the same page with what is
important and urgent. It is our responsibility to keep them all
apprised of our activities.
BP: Rid Yourself of Non-priority Tasks and Duties You
Can Delegate
We are quick to assume the worst at the thought of delegating to
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someone. Can they be trusted to do it? Even the basic idea of
asking them to do it can be a daunting task. We need to see
delegating as a positive thing. It is a learning opportunity for the
individual to whom you're delegating the project.
When we delegate, we retain control over the project, but we also
have more control over our time. Before delegating the project/task,
you need to make sure you're prepared to pass along all the
necessary information and resources to the individual.
9 What are the details of the project?
9 Why are we choosing this person for the task? What skills
does she/he bring to the table? What knowledge?
9 Do we know the goals for the project?
9 How much a part of the project do you want to be?
9 What is the deadline?
The more information we can give them, the more successful they
can be. Make sure to clearly communicate your expectations and let
them know how involved you plan to be. Remember, the whole
reason for delegating is to buy yourself time. The less you are
involved the better. Let them get the glory for doing the work!
Discuss: Knowing the tasks that are priorities makes a clearer
picture of those tasks that don’t need to be done today or by us.
Delegating is a positive thing, not negative. Focus on what they can
do to ensure a successful transition with the person they are
delegating to. We are helping someone else learn a new task and
develop additional skills.
So what: Information is the common thread in making sure we are
staying on task and doing priority tasks. We need to communicate
with ourselves on what is important and urgent, Talk with our
supervisors to keep them updated on what we are doing. We also
need to be willing to help others by passing projects on that we don’t
need to do. The more information you give them about the project
the better for the success of the project.
Pivot: We need to spend a little time up front making an effective
plan so that we don’t interrupt ourselves or others.
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Interruptions
30 minutes
BP: 20 Bright Ideas for Handling Time-stealers and
Interruptions
Set up: Ask the audience how many of them take breaks during the
day other than lunch. Good for those who do and not good for those
who don’t. It is important to take a break even if it is a 5 minute
stretch.
Discuss: Let them know you are going to let them in on a little
secret. They are the number one reason for their interruptions. They
allow them to happen. We need to take control of them.
Brief exercise- have the participants pair up and talk about what is
the biggest interruption they deal with. Then discuss them once you
show them the list and see how they compare. Take time to talk
about others the participants come up with that aren’t on the list.
OH (20 bright
ideas for
handling timestealers)
Show OH (6 slides)“20 bright ideas for handling time-stealers” Walk
through each of them and talk over suggestions for each of them.
1.
Open-door policy -- If you have this philosophy, good for
you. But there’s nothing wrong with shutting your door
when you need to. Make this a habit when you are working
on a project that needs your complete attention. Leave a
note on your door for people stopping by. Suggest they
leave you a note or send you an email. If you want, let
people know when your door will be open again.
2.
Politely give the interrupter a time limit -- You don’t have to
tell them why; just let them know your time is limited. Be
specific with the time. “I have 3 minutes. What can I do for
you?” When 3 minutes have passed, let them know you can
schedule an appointment to finish or simply say you will get
back to them when you have more time to talk.
3.
Provide the name or names of others who can assist them
when you are not available.
4.
If you have multiple people interrupting you for the same
reason, it may be time to schedule a quick meeting to
communicate with everyone at once. Send an e-mail or
memo if it doesn’t justify a meeting.
www.coachsquar
ed.com/handling_i
nterruptions.htm
Some additional
thoughts on
interruptions and
how to handle
them
After discussing the 4th point move to the next slide
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5.
6.
7.
8.
Supporting
information
Make a copy of your schedule and hang it outside your
office/cubicle so others know when you will be available to
lend a hand.
If you can, move your desk so you don’t have immediate
eye contact with everyone who enters your space. Once
you make eye contact you can engage E-mail is another
time-stealer. Turn off e-mail alerts. Make time in the day to
check e-mail. Do not read e-mail every time a new one
arrives.
Stand up when chatty Kathy or story Sam comes to visit. If
you must, take a walk and ask them to walk with you. When
you reach your destination (real or otherwise), let them
know.
If someone wants to meet with you, meet at their office so
you can leave when you need to. Again, let them know your
time is limited. When you have reached your time limit,
respectfully let them know and then leave.
After discussing this point- move to the next slide
9.
Not all interruptions are visitors; technology can cause its
share of interruptions. Call waiting is an interruption. If we
are on the phone with someone, we should complete the
call and move on.
10. When working on projects, set the phone on Do not disturb
and check voicemail later. Get into the habit of checking
voicemail periodically instead of picking up the phone every
time it rings.
11. E-mail is another time-stealer. Turn off e-mail alerts. Make
time in the day to check e-mail. Do not read e-mail every
time a new one arrives. When you do that the technology is
in control, not you.
12. Personal e-mail is an interruption. It distracts you from your
work. Keep it to a minimum.
After discussing the 12th item, move to the next slide
13. A cluttered e-mail inbox is a time-stealer. Not finding things
easily and quickly takes valuable time away. Your virtual
and non-virtual inboxes and desk tops need to be clutter
free.
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14. Be sure to ask questions when you’re given a project. Get
the details. Having to do research later can be a waste of
time. The more information you have, the better off you are.
15. Carry your planner with you everywhere. Not having your
calendar ready to schedule the next event can be a time
stealer. You will have to go back and look this information
up and make time to schedule later.
After discussing number 15- move to the next slide
16. Be careful to review paperwork quickly and efficiently.
Handling junk mail or work that could be delegated to
someone more than once is an interruption of time. Create a
tickler system and get in the habit of moving the paper to
the necessary file or person as soon as you can.
Organization is the best way to gain time.
17. Break big projects down into manageable bites. The saying,
“How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time,” sums this
up. Break the project down so it doesn’t seem so
overwhelming. This will eliminate stress interrupting your
day.
18. Look for ways to eliminate meetings. They can be huge time
stealers. If an issue can be handled with an e-mail or phone
call, or combining meetings, do it.
After discussing number 18- move to the next slide
19. When meeting with someone, be sure to arrive on time with
all the necessary information and questions you have.
Having to look up this information later causes duplication of
effort and steals valuable time from you.
20. Last but not least, say NO! Sometimes, you don’t have the
time to help someone out. Tell them that with tact. Let them
know you are flattered they asked, but show them your
schedule and help them identify someone who could assist
them or another time you could assist them.
Discuss: Talk about it is much like training a pet or teaching a child.
When we put it into a different perspective, we can sometimes see it
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clearer. Also- have them practice saying NO- not a difficult word, but
it can be hard to say. Make a little scouts pledge that I will say no
when I need to say no! Go back to the scenario from the beginningAre you busy? The way to say no to a new task here is to say- “Yes,
I am busy, but lets see what you need and we can come to a
conclusion on how to help you”- or “Yes, I have 5 minutes at 10:00
am- come back at that time and lets discuss.”
OH(Saying
No..3 easy
steps)
Ask the groupWhat do you do if they are late and you have moved on? Have this
lead into Overhead slide about how to say no
Show: OH (Saying No..3 easy steps)
3 StepsRestate request- Let them know you are clear about their request
Decline- let them know why you can’t do it-give them a reason, but
first say I can’t
Give reason for decline an alternative solution- try to always provide
a solution whenever you can.
So what: Interruptions are fueled by us. We can control them if we
choose to. We will never eliminate them, but we can get them work
for us- not against us. It takes us on the average 10 minutes to get
back on task after we have been interrupted. This is not including
the time we were actually in the middle of the interruption.
Pivot: One of the slyest ways we get interrupted is when someone
schedules an unnecessary meeting. We don’t always have the
luxury of turning down the meeting, but again we can look at ways to
control this interruption from stealing precious time from us.
Break
Meetings
30 minutes
BP: What to Do When You’re Being “Meeting-ed” to Death
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www.meetingwiza
rd.org/meetings/ef
fectivemeetings.cfm
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Set up: Meetings are subtle ways you lose precious time. We will
now look at ways you can make the most of your meeting time. Are
there better ways of getting the information to the team?
Quiz:
Take the 2 question quiz and let the participants really think about
the answers
What to Do When You’re Being “Meeting-ed” to Death
How many meetings occur in the United States each day?
A. 5 million
million
B. 20 million
C. 11
How many meetings does the average professional attend each
month?
A. 60 meetings
B. 25 meetings C. 40 meetings
Americans spend a lot of wasted time in meetings. When you are
feeling you can’t attend another meeting, evaluate what you can do
to make them more productive or get the information to the team in
another way.
OH
(Americans
love to meet)
Show: OH “Americans love to meet”
We average 60 meetings a month- that is 3 meetings a day. Of
those, how many do you really think are productive?
Brief exercise:
Have the participants break up into groups and come up with ways
to get information out to others without scheduling a meeting.
They can use any method available to them- newsletters, e-mail,
conference calls. Encourage them to be creative.
Discuss the results and talk about that there are times there is no
way around it, that there needs to be a meeting
There are times when the only way to get the necessary information
to the team is to meet. Look at the table in the workbook and have
them think about an upcoming meeting. They can use this to decide
all the key components to the meeting. From here, you need to
discuss how to have a successful meeting. It is important to invite
the right people to the meeting, expect they be on time and make
sure they are prepared to fulfill their role. The expectation they will
have of you is that you wrap up the meeting when you say you will.
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Start on time and end on time. These are critical to get people to
want to come to your meetings.
Questions to ask when scheduling a meeting
1. What do we want to achieve?
2. What resources are required for meeting?
3. How much time do we need and where should we meet?
People don’t mind attending meetings that are effective. Ineffective
meetings are huge time wasters. To ensure your meeting will be a
success, do the following:
•
Have an agenda -- send it out ahead of time so attendees
come prepared
•
Start and end as scheduled -- train late arrivals that you
wont tolerate this behavior
•
Encourage open discussion of ideas
•
Ask everyone to turn off cell phones or put on vibrate
•
Make sure everyone knows their role and is prepared to
fulfill it
•
Send out minutes from the meeting with action items so
everyone has a reminder of what they need to complete
Other ways to get information to those who need it:
-
A staff newsletter sent weekly or monthly
-
Emails to the team
-
Suggestion box available for people to share their ideas
-
Gather everyone by the water cooler in the morning and
have a stand-up meeting to review necessary information
-
Conference calls or placing a phone call to an individual
member of the team
So what: The key to successful meetings is communication.
Keeping everyone informed is critical to the success of the team and
of projects you are working on.
Pivot: Communication is the key to being successful in business
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whether it is in a meeting or telephone conversation or even a letter.
The better communicator we are with those around us, the more
effective we are.
Conquer the #1 Roadblock to Effective
Project Management: Communication
20 minutes
BP: Getting Mixed Messages? Keys to Ensuring You Have Clear
Direction and What to Do When You Don’t
Set up: Communication takes many forms. It is important that we
communicate effectively and help others to communicate clearly
with us to ensure the message we receive or send is understood.
www.mindtools.co
m/page8.html
www.adminezine.com/commu
nication_toc.htm
Ask the group- What is the best way to get the information we need?
They should say- ASK FOR IT
Great- now that is cleared up or is? There are different ways to ask
for something. We need to be aware of the style of communication
we use to get what we want. We are talking about Assertive vs.
Aggressive or passive. The biggest differences of Assertive vs.
Aggressive is “I” vs. “You” and the fact the aggressive individual
tends to use a lot of sarcasm and strong tones with people. They
come across as harsh and unfair.
Discuss: Spend your time on the differences between Assertive and
Aggressive. Talk about Passive, but don’t spend a lot of time on it.
OH(Assertiv
e vs.
Aggressive)
Show: OH(3 slides) “Assertive vs. Aggressive”
Look at each scenario(Move from slide to slide after discussing each
scenario) and stress the difference in the style of approach. There
are people who can use a sarcastic humor at appropriate times, but
the aggressive individual tends to use it at the wrong times.
One of the main differences between the two is the fact the assertive
individual puts the burden on their own shoulder instead of dumping
it on the other persons shoulder. They do this with their use of “I” vs.
“You”
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Assertive
Aggressive
Uses “I” statements
Uses “You” statements
Accepts criticism
Attacks criticism
Says “No” when needs to
Sarcastic when people
Conquer the #1 Roadblock to Effective
Project Management: Communication,
continued
BP: Talking With Your Boss When There’s Absolutely too Much on
Your Plate
Discuss: Before you get completely overwhelmed, it is critical to talk
with your superiors about the projects on your plate. Again, it takes
your being assertive and feeling comfortable enough to let them
know how you are feeling about your situation.
• Write down what you want to say
• Use “I” statements
• Cool down if you are emotional
• Share some solutions when unloading problems
• Listen to their needs and their ideas
• Treat them as you want them to treat you and reward them
with a thank you or a cup of coffee or create a certificate of
appreciation. Supervisors are human too.
• Have a regular time when you meet with them- If you have
more than one, try to find a time to get everyone together. It
will save you and them a lot of time in the long run.
BP: Secrets to getting what you need from others
Ask them to answer this bullet point. We have discussed this
enough, but have this lead into an exercise in looking for the win-win
Brief exercise- Break them into 4 or 8 groups (depending on the
size of audience) and have each of the groups discuss one of the
scenarios in the workbook. Set it up by asking them to resolve the
situation by making sure everyone is getting what they need. Give
them 5 minutes to discuss and ask them to select a spokesperson.
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OH(Create
win-win
Show: OH (4 Slides) “Create win-win Situations”
Situations)
Supporting
information
Have the audience give you their solution to scenario #1 then show
the solution we came up with on the first powerpoint slide.
Have the audience give you their solution to scenario #2 then show
and discuss the solution we came up with. On each, be sure to
discuss both similarities and differences. This is a good way to point
out how people communicate and handle situations differently.
Debrief: Show the suggested solutions that we have on the
PowerPoint and see how they compare to what they came up with.
So what: Communicating effectively is essential to getting the
message across. This helps us stay on task and on time.
Pivot: There are times we feel we have to “gear-up” to
communicate. It changes our effectiveness. We need to look at
ways to eliminate the emotion.
humanresources.
about.com/od/ma
nagementtips/a/c
onflict_solue.htm
Communicating in Difficult Situations
From Criticism to Conflict
5 minutes
Set up: Communicating in difficult situations shouldn’t be any
different than communicating in everyday situations. But it is.
Discuss: This is really a perfect opportunity for you to review
information discussed before lunch. It is important to maintain an
assertive style in order to be successful. Go over the key points:
It is important to maintain an assertive style of communication.
1. Say what you mean and then back it up by doing
what you say you will do.
2. Use “I” statements.
3. If you are emotional, take a minute to breathe and
count to 10 before you reply or say something that
will come back to haunt you.
4. Be open to their suggestions.
5. Be willing to listen to constructive criticism. Do not
get defensive or go on attack.
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6. Be sure to write down any information you agreed
upon.
7. Schedule a time to get back together and see how
things have improved.
8. Thank them for taking the time to talk with you.
No one likes criticism or conflict, but if we maintain the same style of
communication, we will be able to get through those moments that
make us uncomfortable with little to no emotion.
So what: No matter the situation, still need to stay cool, calm and
collected.
Pivot: We also need to keep in mind the most effective method of
communications with those that need the information. Depending on
who needs the information, will depend on how to get it to them.
Strategies for Clear Communication Up
and Down the Project Line
5 minutes
BP: Strategies for clear Communication up and down the project
line
Set up: The written word or in person. How to determine this? How
immediate of a response do you need or how precise does the
communication need to be? These questions help determine how to
communicate to the project team. You also need to be familiar with
the schedule of the project team and what type of communication
they are most comfortable with. You can figure this out by asking
them or knowing how they tend to communicate with you.
Discuss the various forms of communications the group came up
with to avoid staff meetings. Many of those ideas are probably listed
in the workbook in this section.
E-mail, meetings, presentations, hand written correspondence,
phone. Talk about the differences in formality and response time.
With email, all formality goes out the door, but if you need a quick
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turn around this is a way to go.
So what: No matter the method of communication, the key is to get
the message across so everyone is on the same page in
understanding the goals of the project and the steps to achieving the
goals.
Pivot: The better the communications with the team, the less
stressed the team will be. Knowing where everyone stands on an
issue helps relieve some of the pressure.
Prevent Stress From Breaking
You Down
20 minutes
http://www.kidshe
alth.com/teen/you
r_mind/emotions/
stress.html
BP: 8 Foolproof Stress-busters for Remaining Calm, Cool, and
Collected When Everything Else Is Falling Apart Around You
This website talks
about stress from
an illness persp
Set up: Stress impacts the way we think, communicate, and
organize. It is our reaction to situations and people. We convince
ourselves that this particular person or situation is a threat to us.
Let’s look at ways to prepare to overcome stress when it happens.
OH(Stress
busters)
ective
Show: OH (2 slides) Stress busters
Plan- Have them think of the projects they wrote down earlier in the
day. Write down some ideas of how they will tackle the project
Breathe- Do some breathing exercises with them.
Exercise- run in place, stretch- whatever you are up to
Step outside- save this for the break
Move to next slide after talking about stepping outside
Laugh- Have them tell each other a silly knock knock joke or have
them think of something that gets them smiling
Organize- In their mind, have them organize their desk or whatever
they want to
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Drink – take a drink of water sitting in front of them
Talk- to themselves or to each other (limit the time here)
Brief exerciseWhile you are looking over the OH’s Have the group do each of
these except step outside. Those who don’t want to participate, that
is fine.
These 8 stress busters are key to managing stress. Not all stress is
bad unless it gets out of control.
BP: Remembering That Stress IS Contagious and Making Sure
Your Stress Doesn’t Spread to Others -- and Vice Versa
Following the stress busters can go a long way in managing your
stress level. Stay positive when others are being negative. Carry a
picture, joke or saying in your calendar so when a stressful moment
hits, you will have something to remind you to smile.
I carry a little note in my wallet about one of my most embarrassing
moments. When things seem like I can do no right- I pull that out
and laugh. At least I am not embarrassing myself.
So what: The stress busters are going to help to get you through
those difficult moments in your day. Knowing yours can help you be
prepared.
Pivot: Those moments in your day can sometimes involve toxic
people or projects. Let’s define how to handle them.
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Prevent Stress From Breaking
You Down ,continued
BP: Strategies for Productively Dealing With “Toxic” Stressors and
“Toxic” People
Set up: You need to first identify your toxic stressors/people and
then you need to hit the head on!
Discuss: Toxic stressors can be controlled by being in control.
Have a plan that has time built in for the unexpected or possibly the
dreaded expected. Set goals the SMART way to help see the big
picture and measure it accurately.
Toxic people can be a little more difficult to handle than a toxic
stressor.
Don’t argue with a negative person. That is what they want. They
want people to join their wallowing in self-pity. Simply hear them out.
Being an active listener, you can hear what their true concerns are
and work from there.
Get them to be specific. “What don’t you like about your boss?” This
puts them on the spot to take a moment to breathe and think
specifically.
Give them a positive. “Wow, he does seem unfair. Good for you for
making the best of the situation.” “Have you told him your
concerns?” This helps them to start thinking about solutions and not
just dwelling on the negatives.
If you let them, a toxic individual will argue with you about whether
or not the sun will rise tomorrow. Don’t give them the chance. Will do
you or them no good. If you don’t stop them in their tracks, their
toxins will spread through the office.
So what: When toxic people are expected to act like grown-ups and
not pout when things don’t go their way. Guess what, they will act t
like grown-ups. Maybe even become rather productive. They will act
with more responsibility.
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Pivot: As if the toxic stressors aren’t enough- how can we stop the
negativity!
Stop Negativity
5 minutes
BP: How to Stop Negativity and Worry From Robbing You of Your
Productivity
Set up: Those of you who are thinking about whether or not you got
a bill mailed, what time you have to pick up the kids. Did so and so
get the report wrapped up. This is for you. You are robbing yourself
of productive time worrying and being negative. You need to keep
yourself positive- using the stress busters in a good start.
Here is a little suggestion for those of you who are worriers- get a
box and cut a hole in the top. When you worry about something,
write it down and throw it in the box. The box can take care of your
worries while you take care of your work
Discuss: How they lose credibility with being negative and worrying
all the time. People don’t want to be around you because you bring
them down.
BP: Tips for Staying Positive When the Pressure Is On
Discuss: Remember that this has happened to othersChange is inevitable; it is an opportunity for growth
Setbacks or mistakes are learning opportunities
Asking for help is not a weakness
Surrounding yourself with family and friends is strength
Some stress is good, it keeps us motivated
So what: Protect your credibility as hard as you can. Once you lose
it, it’s hard – almost impossible – to win it back. It is important to stay
positive. Be person that is seen as a solution expert not a problem
maker.
Pivot: Credibility is also determined by being on time. There are
times it just can’t happen, but you need to strive to meet deadlines.
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Meet Every Deadline With
Amazing Time-Management
Skills
20 minutes
BP: Deadlines 101: Tips for assessing how long a project will really
take
Set up: We can all guess how long something will take, but we
really need to evaluate how accurate that is.
In determining how long a project will take, break it down piece by
piece. Look at what is involved in completing the project.
•
Is it a project that involves others? If so, find out what time
they have to give to the project.
•
What resources are needed? Do you have them available?
•
Compare this project to tasks you have done before. How
long did it take to complete those tasks?
•
Know what other tasks you have to complete.
BP: Planning Strategies for When Your Competing Deadlines All
Fall Around the Same Time
How to Master
your time by Brian
Tracy
www.ineedmoreti
me.com/time_tips
Both resources
Communication - with yourself and others - is the key to making sure add food for
thought on time
things get done even though you have multiple deadlines hitting at
management
once.
which can help
Write down your priorities and prioritize them. If you need assistance add some extra
ask for it. Most importantly if you have multiple deadlines hitting at
thoughts on the
once. Talk it over with your supervisors. They can help you
subject
brainstorm how to get it all done.
BP: The Impossible Deadline: How to Deal
Talk to whoever assigned the project to you and let them know that
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the deadline will not be met. It is important to do this as soon as you
know it is impossible to meet it. Explain why the deadline can’t be
met and when you can have it done. Be ready in case they need it
before the deadline you suggest.
Be assertive. Apologize for not meeting the deadline and get to work
to ensure you meet the new deadline. Things happen and people
are more understanding if you are upfront with them.
So what: You want to remain your credibility and be a respected
team member? Meet your deadlines or at least talk with individuals
to get help or to make them understand why you will not meet the
deadline and when they can expect the project.
Pivot: Communication can cure a lot of ills and so can being
organized with your projects and paperwork. Completing projects
takes a game plan. Let’s see how to create the plan and put it into
action.
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Plan Your Work
20 minutes
BP: Pareto’s Principle: Using the 80/20 Rule to Focus Your Work
Set up: In the 1940’s, Quality Management pioneer Dr. Juran
adapted Vilfredo Pareto’s mathematical formula showing that 20% of
something is responsible for 80% of the results. Project managers
use it today.
In a nutshell- Pareto’s principle is telling us to do those items that we
have identified as priorities (because they are both important and
urgent) and spend the majority of your day completing these. The
rest of the day can be spent on your filler items.
www.sideroad.co
m/management/pr
ioritize
BP: The Secret to Making Your To-do List Work for You Instead of
Against You
Discuss: Put pareto’s principle in action. We tend to take our to-do
lists for granted. We need to put them to action. Fill them up with the
20% that is going to take 80% of our day. Sprinkle in the other 80%
that will fill the rest of our time. Use the to-do list to take action. Not
as a tool to check things off. Stephen Covey told us the same thingKeep the end in mind!
Action Planner: Keeping Your Goals in Mind
9 Create a list of your S.M.A.R.T. goals
o Look at a monthly plan (looking at the big picture)
o Make a list of actions that need to be completed
today and this week
9 Identify checkpoints for maintenance and any new items to
be evaluated and added
9 Give timelines to individual action items
9 Create time for planning and time for implementation
9 Remember to plan around your energy level
9 Stay flexible -- projects will come up at the last minute; plan
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Brief exercise:
Create a mid-manager and show some monthly goals for them and
a list of things that need to be done today. Have the group work with
you to put together a successful to-do list for this person. Making
sure you are using the Pareto’s principle.
Use this to lead into talking about prioritizing the goals.
Now prioritize your goals.
9 List out action items in order of importance and urgency
o Identify those actions that should be immediate
o Put aside items that can wait
9 Meet with your supervisor(s) if you need assistance in
determining the level of importance
9 Sprinkle to-dos throughout your list to keep you motivated to
tackle the large action items (These are the 80% of the
items that will take up the other 20% of your day)
9 Combine similar action items
9 Break down action items into manageable pieces
This checklist is a review list of what we have been talking about
throughout the seminar. We need to reiterate that this is the main
component to be on top of the priorities especially when you
bombarded with multiple projects and quite frankly- who isn’t.
So what: Planning your work is more than listing your projects for
the day. It is about knowing the priorities, communicating with the
necessary people to keep everyone informed of what limited time
you and to meet with those that have the skills and time to help you
out. Before you begin- you need to have the end in mind.
Pivot: Are you busy? Yes- I have a hundred projects on my plate.
Do you sometimes looking at your desk that it feels you have 100
projects staring you down? Successful planning requires finding
what you need and having it at your finger tips.
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Organization Strategies and
Tools
Handle One or Many Projects All at
Once
15 minutes
BP: Organization Strategies and Tools to Handle one or Many
Projects all at once
Set-up: The first step to successfully handling multiple projects is to
use your action planner. List all goals you want to accomplish and
write them down as action items. Use a good planner, one that is
comfortable for you.
Discuss: The different types of planners people have today, both
electronic and non-electronic planners.
Show them an accordion file or talk it through of different ways it can
be used. They can also have multiple accordion files for each boss
or project. I would try and color-code them.
The accordion file is a tickler file of things they need to review daily
or have a specific date in which they need to be done or reviewed. It
is very important that a date is written on the item before it is placed
in the file folder. An accordion file is also nice due to the fact it is
easy to carry to project meetings, etc.
The Planner, in addition is important too. Need to have the right one
to meet your needs. A planner needs to:
Planner™ This has to be large enough to list all action items
for the day/week that are based on the overall
month plan
™ Use this when meeting with supervisor(s) and
coworkers to show them your schedule when
looking to add additional goals.
™ Keep your supervisor's schedule on your calendar
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so you know when they are available and when
they are not available. This is important for you to
get the necessary information before they leave
town.
™ Create a large calendar or checklist to view and
track everyone’s schedule, much like a GANT
Chart. This helps in identifying the big picture for
the team and can help you with getting assistance
on projects if needed.
So what: Having systems in place to track the progress of your
projects and the projects of others can assist you in staying on
schedule. You have the necessary resources at your fingertips with
your tickler file and visual reminders of the multiple action items you
are currently working on.
Pivot: The planner and tickler files are step one to organizing
paperwork. Step two is setting up a file system for all other
paperwork and Step three is using the system. So lets take a look at
setting up a complete file system.
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5 Quick-and-Easy Personal
Filing Systems
Organized to Be
the Best
15 minutes
Set up: You know about prioritizing your schedule and making sure
you are doing the action items that help you meet your goals. To
successfully achieve this, you need to have your files in order too.
Setting up a system is all about what makes sense to you.
Discuss the fact that introducing the computer to us, they told us that
by the year 2000 we would have a paperless office. How did that
work out for us? Since paperwork has tripled we need to put it
somewhere.
OH(Organiz
e your filesStep into
action)
Show: OH “Organize your files- Step into action”
Organize Your Files: STEP Into Action
Simplify -- Sort through the piles and put similar items together
- This can mean many things.
- Similar because it is for the same project
- Similar because it is the same type of report
- Similar because it is a newsletter
- Similar because of the subject matter
- Similar because where/who you got it from
- Similar because it something you will be working on in the
future
- Similar because it is something from the past
- Similar because it makes you laugh
Make 3 pilesone for possible throw away/recycle
one for things needed now- priority items
one for things needed, but immediate
Tag -- Categorize the items you have and put together by your way
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of thinking
Take the priority pile and “tag” them- however is comfortable for you.
Here is a little secret- you set up your filing system to work for the
way you work and educate those you have access to your files on
how you have your files set up. Do not let others talk you into doing
it their way. The only reason you should consider this is if two of you
access the same files all the time. Then it needs to be a mutual
understanding!!
Here are 5 most popular options in filing- Ask who in the audience
uses which one. Also, find out from the audience what are the
advantages and disadvantages of each.
1. Alpha order
2. Title/Subject matter
3. Color-coding
4. Month
5. Project name
Eliminate -- reduce the paperwork by getting rid of what you don’t
need. Ask yourself if this information is new, necessary, or timely. If
you answer no, get rid of it!
- We all know the rule, if we haven’t looked at it in 6 months
get rid of it. We need to probably give serious consideration
to those items that we haven’t used in a month. (There are
exceptions to every rule, but you get the idea)
Prioritize -- store files based on how often you need them. You
need quick access to those files you use regularly.
Organize and purge your files so you can find the items you need
when you need them.
Build time into your schedule once a month to review your files and
update them.
When filing something, put an end date on it. This will be a visual
reminder to use it before you get rid of it.
So what: The final piece of the organization puzzle is a file system
that works for you. You have to work with it day in and day out.
Make sure it is a system you set up!
Pivot: We have talked about breaking bad habits to build our
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credibiltity
12 Steps to Making More
Accurate Cost Estimates
20 minutes
Set up: Who really wants to worry about the money part of the
project? Doesn’t matter if you want to; it has to be done. We need to
be as accurate as possible when putting a budget together so that
everyone is happy not only with the quality of the product, but also
the cost!
BP: 12 Steps to Making More Accurate Cost Estimates- assess and
manage your budget correctly
1. When you are assigned a project, first visit with the sponsor
and find out if the budget is set or what the estimated
budget is.
2. Evaluate the budget in light of the tasks, staff, and
estimated time frame. This is a good time to start looking at
risk factors that will impact the budget.
3. Schedule time to meet with individuals who have worked on
similar projects and find out about costs they ran into. Ask
for any tricks or advice they can give you.
OH(The
budget)
Show: OH “The Budget”- this reinforces Steps 1-3, information up
front will help with turning in a project on budget. It isn’t a guarantee,
but there is a good chance if it is done.
BP: Keys to Analyzing Your Budget Constraints Easily and
Accurately
4. Create your budget based on the information you have been
given. You can keep the budget you have or ask for more.
a. Have your data and analysis ready to explain why
this is a constraint
b. If you are expected to keep the original budget,
have them give you some ideas where costs can be
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cut so you understand their thinking.
5. Set up a financial plan based on the budget you put
together. This plan has to be detailed and is made after you
have talked to the appropriate people about the budget you
need for the project.
6. Complete the cost estimate sheets and refer to them
throughout the project lifeline.
OH (Direct
costs and
Indirect
costs)
Show: OH ( 2 slides) “Direct costs” and “Indirect costs”
7. Keep a close eye on identifying, recording and tracking
actual project costs vs. the projected costs.
8. Have team members regularly keep you posted on what
they are seeing.
9. Meet weekly with the sponsor to keep them up to date. They
may also have information that is critical to you.
BP: Communication Tips for When Your Project Comes in Over
Budget
10. If you start seeing a trend that there isn't going to be enough
money, look over the expenses with the team to determine
the issues. Things can happen to impact the costs. Where
are the changes happening?
11. Go to the sponsor with all your information and talk about
what to do if more money is needed.
a. Be assertive and give the facts
b. Use “I” and “We” statements
c. Give ideas for solutions
12. The goal of your project? To provide a quality product on
time and within budget. Did you do it? If yes, good for you! If
not, allow yourself no excuses for this to be a surprise. You
need to know this early enough that you inform the key
people.
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Exercise: Break them into groups to talk about the most difficult
aspect of the budgeting and as a group look at those difficult areas
and come up with ideas to overcome the challenges
BP: How to Assess and Assign Risk When Budgeting
Discuss:
Part of setting up the budget is planning for the unexpected. What
risks pose a threat? Will you need to hire additional staff? Do you
have sufficient resources that are ready in a moment's notice?
All projects have risks that can impact your bottom line. Meet with
the team and allot significant time to brainstorm potential issues. Ask
people who have worked on similar projects about unexpected costs
they incurred. What happened? The human element in many cases
is the hardest to plan for. Resources and time are also factors to talk
about. It is not unusual for 25-30 % to be built into the overall costs
for risk management. Look at comparable projects that are
completed. Did they make it within budget? If they went over, by
how much and why? This information is significant in determining
your budget and what to build into it.
•
Meet with the team
•
Look at costs for comparable projects
•
Research potential costs
•
Make a list of team members, resources and schedule
So what: All of these components make assessing risk considerably
easier. Educate yourself with as much information as you can to be
successful. Knowing budget constraints, deadlines and hidden costs
are critical in putting together a budget for a project. Understand,
even if you are not the one to put the budget together, you need
know where these numbers come from.
Pivot: Technology has eased the research process. Outlook® in
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particular can make some of this work easier for us.
Bonus Session: Use Outlook®
for Better Project Management
30 minutes
Set up: Technology can be the answer to many organization
questions. The key is knowing how to use it and what tools are
available to you. Outlook® is a file manager, action planner, and
communications guru all in one.
BP: How Outlook® Can Help You Manage Projects More Effectively
Show: OH “Outlook Window” Show them the lay of the land.
OH (Outlook Folders on the left hand side include those are created by the
window)
system and those you create yourself. To create your own foldersdo a right click where you want it and create it.
Outlook® gives you a centralized location for file management, email and your calendar. Outlook® can handle the overflowing inbox.
It does this with the help of:
1. File folders --There are default search folders that are much
like any other folder in Outlook; however, each offers some
unique features that are worth noting.
A. Follow-up mail -- Here is your very own e-mail to-do
list. Whenever a message is flagged it is saved in
this folder. The messages are arranged by flag
color in the folder.
B. Large mail -- This folder is for all mail that is “bulk
mail.” If it is 100KB or more it will automatically be
stored in this folder.
C. You can also create folders to store emails you
have received. And you can set up a rule for emails
to be delivered directly to the folder of choice.
2. Quick flags -- These flags help to create your own system
for taking care of tasks in a timely manner. The flags will
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display to the right of the message and can be created with
the click of the mouse.
BP: Tips for Managing Your E-mail Inbox and Creatively Filing Your
E-mail
Discuss: Outlook® gives you the ability to have your e-mails
already signed, and you can have multiple signatures to send less
formal signatures to those you work closely with.
To create and manage signatures- Having signatures ready to go
for emails you send, is a time saver. You can have multiple
choices to change the formality of the email
1. Go to Tools> Options to open the Options dialog box.
2. On the Mail Format tab, click the Signatures button. This will
open the Signatures
dialog box.
3. Click New to create a new signature.
4. Enter your signature. This can be created from scratch, edited
from another signature
or copy and pasted from company letter head.
5. Select desired formatting options. When happy with the signature,
click Finish.
6. You can create additional signatures and/or click OK to get back
to the mail window.
Desktop alerts-This is nice to have, but it tends to interrupt us
because we allow it to become more important than it should
be.
When Outlook is minimized, the alert appears on the desktop to tell
you there is a message waiting. The alert will appear displaying the
name of the sender, the subject line and the first two lines of the
actual message. If you need to read the entire message, just open it.
If you use this as a crutch, you may want to turn off this feature.
Intelligent Grouping- Having the most recent e-mail right in front
of you is great for staying on task. Also, you can change how it
works to have it group emails by name or other defined options
Outlook automatically arranges Inbox messages by date. If a
different grouping option is preferable, there are a dozen predefined
group headings and custom options. You can arrange your emails to
group by subject matter or sender.
Customizing a group is done by:
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•
Open the Send/Receive Group Name dialog box.
•
Enter the name of the group and Click OK.
•
Select the accounts you want in the group
•
Click OK when you are done configuring
Creating Rules
Setting rules can help save time from sorting through numerous emails received each day. Create a rule by right-clicking the message
name and selecting Create Rule from the shortcut menu.
Discuss: You have the luxury of sending emails directly to a folder
you have created by setting up a rule. When you are working on a
particular project- you know all emails are together without having to
hunt them down!
Brief exerciseHave the group discuss other components of e-mail they use to
save time and manage projects!
BP: Using the Outlook® Calendar to Manage Your Time and Plan
Your Work
Discuss- can you also send emails requesting meetings with project
team right from the calendar. You have a tickler file, calendar,
planner and to-do list all in one place.
OH
(Calendar
window)
Show: OH “Calendar window”
You have different views of the calendar. You can look at just the
daily view, monthly view or weekly view. It is easy to schedule appts
in any of the views.
Appointments
Appointments are activities that don’t need to be scheduled with
other people. To schedule an appointment:
1. Right-click on the appointment and choose New Appointment
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2. Choose the File menu>New>Appointment
3. Type Ctrl+N on the computer keyboard to set a new appointment
Recurring Appointments
If the appointment is something that is done on a daily, weekly or
monthly basis, making it a recurring appointment saves time. To
make an appointment recurring, follow these steps:
•
Open the Schedule an Appointment box and put in the
information for the appointment.
•
Click the Recurrence button and complete information
•
Click OK and then click Save and Close
BP: Tips for Using Outlook® to Facilitate Teamwork
To Schedule a Meeting
Scheduling meetings is more involved than scheduling appointments
because it affects other people. To schedule a meeting, you invite
the attendees. Outlook helps by giving you a chance to look at other
people’s schedules to plan an appropriate time for everyone
involved.
1. Click File> New>Meeting Request
2. On the Appointment tabbed page, enter a list of people
requested to attend.
3. Complete the subject of the meeting, location, start and end
times and set a reminder if wanted.
4. If it is a meeting that will recur, schedule it as a recurring
meeting by clicking the Recurrence button. Fill in the
essential information.
5. Determine the best time for the meeting by clicking on the
scheduling tab to view everyone’s current schedule.
6. Click Save and Close. It will be added to your schedule
automatically.
Discuss: This is such a helpful tool because of the ability to look at
the times people are already blocked out. The system automatically
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picks the next available time for everyone involved. If you find that
someone is constantly bad at keeping their calendar updated- this is
an easy way to call them on the carpet.
This is also nice because you can send one e-mail to everyone. The
date is set on your calendar once the e-mail is sent and those that
accept the meeting have it put on their calendar too. Those that
don’t accept can still change their mind and send an e-mail
response later with the new response.
All of this is a huge time saver. It is so nice to have everything in one
place.
OH(Sharing
calendar)
Show: OH “Sharing Calendars”- Keeping informed
Sharing Calendars
It is helpful to view the calendars of others you work closely with. It
ensures you have all the information about their upcoming activities.
Sharing calendar access is relatively easy.
1. In the Navigation pane, click “Share My Calendar”
2. Once the Calendar Properties window is open, click the
Permissions Tab
3. Click Add to choose the individuals you are granting permission
and what level of permissions they will have.
4. Under the Edit and Delete Items section, decide how much
access they have.
A. None = no access
B. Own = can edit and/or delete only items they created
C. All = Complete access to edit and/or delete items
Open a Shared Calendar
To open a calendar that has been shared with you is just a matter of
clicking on the “Open a Shared Calendar” in the Navigation pane.
Type the name of the person who shared the calendar with you and
the calendar will be displayed next to yours.
Discuss: Your supervisors and your subordinates should have
access to your calendar and vice versa. This is another time saver
and advantage to keeping people informed about your day and you
knowing about theirs.
So what: They promised us the paperless office, on that they didn’t
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deliver, but the abilities with e-mail and the calendar do make up for
some the extra workload that comes with the extra paperwork.
Pivot: Shortcuts are always great to have. Here is a few available in
E-mail and calendar
A Handy Desk Reference With
Quick Tips and Shortcuts
5 minutes
E-mail shortcuts- be sure to stress that Ctrl+C is still copy,
Ctrl+X is cut, and Ctrl+V is paste
•
Opens the mail view- Ctrl+1
•
Opens a new mail message- Ctrl+Shift+M
•
Sends current email message-Alt +S
•
Checks for new messages-F9
•
Opens the reply message-Ctrl+R
•
Opens Help-F1
Calendar shortcuts•
Opens the Calendar view-Ctrl+2
•
Opens a new appointment- Ctrl+Shift+A
•
Switch to week view- Alt+-(hyphen)
•
Switch to Month view- Alt+=(equal)
•
Select next appointment-TAB
•
Go back to preceding appointment- Shift+TAB
•
Accept a meeting request-Alt+C
•
Decline a meeting request-Alt+D
Share any other shortcuts you want to with them. Any extras they
can get they would love. Also, feel free to open it up to the audiencethey may have favorite mouse shortcuts.
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So what: When we don’t have training on the computer we pretty
much learn as we go. It is nice to know a few tricks to get to where
we are going quicker and easier.
Pivot: We have spent the day looking at ways to get things done
more efficiently and better quality. Working to be on task and on
time. It is your turn to put your plan in action.
I challenge you to create an action plan for you at work
Action Plan
10 minutes
Instruct participants to complete their action plans for the
workshop. Encourage them to share some of their ideas
with others in the seminar. After they have completed their
action plans, instruct them to write timelines for when
they will start doing these actions and ideas for how they
will measure their progress and success.
Concluding Remarks
5 minutes
Encourage participants to take what they learned today
and put it to action tomorrow. Get their files in order, think
about their interruptions and make a plan to cut down on
them.
Motivate them by reminding them of the rewards and
importance of being an organized project manager- with or
without the title
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Project Management Post-Test
11. Overcoming procrastination is a matter of:
a.
b.
c.
d.
Planning
simplifying
prioritizing
all of the above
12. True or false. It’s okay to use an open-door policy.
c. True
d. False
13. Which of the following are possible replacements for meetings?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
E-mail
Conference calls
Newsletters
Suggestion box
All of the above
14. True or false. Assertive communicators give the facts without the emotion.
a. True
b. False
15. True or false. Stress can be good, but needs to be controlled.
c. True
d. False
16. Which of the following is important to assessing deadlines?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Who else is involved?
What else do you have on your schedule?
What resources are needed and are they available?
None of the above
All of the above
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Project Management
Project Management Post-Test
17. Which of the following statements are true about budget management?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
You cannot change the budget given
You should talk with individuals who have done similar projects
You should use the cost estimate sheets throughout project
b and c
a and b
All of the above
18. True or false. 25% is reasonable for risk assessment.
a. True
b. False
19. Which of the following is an ability of Outlook in helping to get organized?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
E-mail intelligent grouping
Large mail folder
Calendar
Signatures
All of the above
20. To schedule a meeting in Outlook:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
Look at schedule of attendees
Send email
They choose to accept or decline
It appears in your calendar automatically
You receive emails indicating if they will attend
All of the above
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Project Management
Ethics Training for the Workplace
Posttest Answers
Test Question
Learning
Objective
Location in WB
1
7 Steps for Ending Procrastination
It’s ok to use an open-door policy: A. True
1
Interruptions
Which of the following are possible replacements for
meetings? E. All of the above- e-mail, conference
calls, newsletters and a suggestion box
4
Meetings
True or False. Assertive communicators give the
facts without the emotion. A True
4
Conquer the #1 Roadblock to
Effective Project Management:
Communication
True or False. Stress can be good, but needs to be
controlled. A. True
3
Prevent Stress from Breaking you
Down
Which of the following is important to assessing
deadlines? E. All of the above- who else is involved,
what else do you have on your schedule, what
resources are needed and are they available
2
Stop Juggling and Start Managing
Those priorities
Which of the following statements are true about
budget management? D.You should talk with
individuals who have done similar projects and you
should use the cost estimate sheets throughout the
project
5
12 Steps to Making more accurate
cost estimates
True or False. 25% is reasonable for risk
assessment? A. True
5
How to Assess and Assign risk
when budgeting
Which of the following is an ability of Outlook in
helping to get organized? E. All of the above- e-mail
intelligent grouping, large mail folder, calendar and
signatures
8
Bonus Session: Use Outlook for
Better Project Management
To schedule a meeting in Outlook:F. All of the above
8
Bonus Session: Use Outlook for
Better Project Management
Overcoming procrastination is a matter of: D. All of
the above- Planning, simplifying, and prioritizing
Course Learning Objectives
1. Eliminate habits that are interfering with productivity
2. Identify and manage priorities
3. Control stress before it controls you
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Project Management
4. Communicate more effectively
5. Assess and manage project budgets
6. Get organized
7. Learn to say “No”
8. Use Outlook to manage your day
9. Be an effective project manager
6To recognize the rights and responsibilities of whistleblowers.
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Project Management
Ice Breakers
Group Assessment:
Divide participants into small groups. Ask each group to discuss training-related issues:
ƒ What they like about…
ƒ The characteristics of good…
ƒ The worst examples of…
ƒ What the problems are with…
ƒ What the value is of…
ƒ Three things they hope this training will offer…
Ask each group to report on their discussion. List characteristics, problems, or needs
on a cling sheet/flip chart as they are reported, and use them to develop/tie in with the
training objectives.
Group Resume:
Divide participants into small groups. Tell them their job is to develop a group resume
that will introduce or “sell” their group. Groups should include such data as:
ƒ Years of professional experience
ƒ Positions held
ƒ Professional skills
ƒ Major accomplishments
ƒ Number of companies worked in and currently working in (if public seminar)
Ask each group to prepare a brief resume, and then groups present their resume to the
entire group.
Impressions:
Ask each member to write down, on a 3x5 card, three personal facts. Collect the cards
and mix them up, then redistribute them. If a participant receives his/her own card, they
turn it back in for another. Ask each participant to read the card he/she has chosen and
guess whose card it is. Participants are not to reveal their identity, if it is guessed, until
asked, “Will the writer please stand up?” The participant who wrote the card stands up.
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Project Management
Ice Breakers, continued
Group Naming:
Break participants into small groups. Each group will become a “new” department or
company. Give each group an index card with three or four randomly chosen letters
printed on it. These letters are an acronym for their department or company. Each
group decides what the letters stand for and what its mission is. Groups report back to
the entire group.
Observations:
Participants are paired with someone in the group whom they do not know. From an
initial observation and brief introduction only, each participant composes a profile of the
other, guessing:
Where he/she was born
His/her favorite color
Their job title
Three words they would use to
describe themselves
Whether they consider themselves
outgoing or quiet
Whether they have children/pets, and
how many
How long they have been with their
company
Where they took their most recent
vacation
Why they’re attending the training
Their favorite food
After the “profiles” are complete, ask partners to interview each other to determine the
correct answers. As an option, partners then introduce each other to the rest of the
group.
Scavenger Hunt:
Participants attempt to find someone in the group who fits each description. When they
find someone, they place the person’s name next to the item. Each person’s name can
be used only once. NOTE: Questions can be tailored, based on the trainer’s knowledge
of the group.
Someone whose first initial is the same as yours.
Someone born in the same month as you were.
Someone who has been in their job less than a year.
Someone who has been in their job more than five years.
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Project Management
Ice Breakers, continued
Someone who traveled more than two hours to attend the session.
Someone who was recently promoted (within the last three months)
Self-Introduction:
Give each participant an “interview” form and ask them to answer three or four
questions for themselves. These responses then form the basis of their introduction to
the group. Questions could include:
ƒ What I like about_________________is________________.
ƒ I find it hard to ___________________________________.
ƒ What I value most about my job is ____________________.
ƒ What motivates me is_______________________________.
ƒ I would rather________________at work, than anything else.
ƒ If I could learn one thing, it would be___________________.
Interviews:
Place participants in pairs, trios, or small groups; have them interview each other.
Sample topics questions to ask:
ƒ Two unusual happenings in your life
ƒ Their two biggest problems at work.
ƒ What color, animal, weather, food, car, best reflects you?
ƒ If you could live in any area and country, where would it be and why?
ƒ If you could have a two-week all-expenses-paid vacation anywhere, where would
you go and why?
ƒ If you could have dinner with anyone in the world (other than current friends and
relatives), whom would you have dinner with and why?
ƒ What is your favorite bumper sticker or T-shirt saying?
Observation:
Ask each participant to number one to six on a piece of paper and respond to the
following six questions. After giving the answers and having participants keep track of
their correct and incorrect answers, ask for a show of hands to indicate how many got
all the questions correct. Each of the questions is about something we’ve all seen
regularly.
1. What building is on a twenty-dollar bill? (The White House)
2. What’s the smallest division on a ruler? (1/16 inch)
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Project Management
Ice Breakers, continued
3. In a pack of playing cards, which king is in profile? (diamond)
4. What color stripe is directly under the blue field on the American flag? (white)
5. If quotation marks are commas, is the first pair down or right side up? (upside
down)
6. Does your own watch have dots, numbers, or Roman numerals on the face?
What is the color of the face?
Instructions:
Distribute sheets of paper to four participants who will demonstrate or to all participants.
Have them complete the following instructions with their eyes closed and without asking
any questions:
1. Fold the paper in half and tear off the bottom right corner.
2. Fold the paper in half again and tear off the upper right hand corner.
3. Fold the paper in half again and tear off the lower left corner.
Have participants open their eyes, unfold the paper, and compare the results; even
though all participants had the same paper and instructions, results will vary
significantly.
Who are you?
Divide into small groups of 5-7 people. Ask each group to form a small circle. Give
them a soft ball. Ask them to toss it to each other, and when they get the ball they are
to answer to following questions:
1. Name?
2. Where do you work or what industry are you in?
3. How many years in current job?
4. Favorite part of their job?
5. If a car could describe you, what car would that be and why?
6. One interesting thing about yourself that is not on your resume is _______
Once everyone has had a turn, the icebreaker is over.
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Project Management
How to Conduct and Facilitate Activities
The basic instructions for the exercises are in the curriculum guide. However, following
are some additional delivery suggestions and comments to trainers.
1. INTRODUCTION:
9 Make a mental connection between the activity and material covered.
9 Provide an overview of the activity and its objectives.
9 Describe the benefits and value of the activity.
2. DIRECTION:
9 Form groups prior to giving instructions; be directive and vary the groups.
9 If groups need a recorder, leader, timekeeper, etc., help to complete these
tasks by assigning or asking for volunteers.
9 Present the big picture, then move to the first step and proceed one step at a
time.
9 Break the instructions down into detailed, sequential steps.
9 Be clear about time, restrictions, and expected results.
9 Read through narrative aloud.
3. CONDUCTING:
9 Circulate among the groups; monitor for signals of confusion and observe the
process.
9 If a group is unproductive, take temporary leadership to get them on track.
9 Help the groups keep time; give “half time” and two-minute warnings.
4. REFLECTIONS (DEBRIEF)
9 Get their feedback and opinions before offering your own.
9 Prepare two to four questions that are related to the activity’s objectives.
(See suggestions on next page.)
9 When groups are reporting back, set time parameters, and make notes on a
flip chart or overhead.
9 Get reports from all groups before moving to general discussions.
Extra Tips:
9 Ask them to critique themselves first; then you can provide feedback
9 Present it as “I observed”
9 Reinforce positive behaviors
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Project Management
Debriefing Questions
POSSIBLE QUESTIONS TO SELECT FROM TO DEBRIEF EXERCISES
Questions about learning:
• What did you learn?
• What do you still need to learn?
• What insights did you have in that activity?
• Which personal objectives have been addressed?
Questions about application:
• How can you use this on the job?
• How does this relate to a project in your job/area?
• What phrases did you learn that you can use on the job?
• What will you do with this knowledge?
• Why is this important in your job?
Questions about the activity:
• How did it work?
• What happened as you and your partner/group completed this activity?
• What approach did you use?
• How did it work?
• How easy or hard was it compared to the last exercise? Why?
• What was the difference between this activity and the last one?
Questions about feelings and reactions:
• Did that role play feel any different when you switched roles?
• How did you feel…
9 …about the process?
9 …when responding to objections?
9 …about the number of options available?
9 …about your potential for success?
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