TIME MANAGEMENT
APAMSA Leadership Development Module
Time Management
Task-Oriented Behaviors
 Leaders
are often pressed for time, burdened with
incessant demands, and confronted with crises
 Consider
the following approaches to better manage
your time, cope with demands, and manage crises
Source: G. Yukl, Leadership In Organizations (New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2006, p. 42-45)
Task-Oriented Behaviors
Leadership Challenge (10)
 Time
Management
 Consider
the practical importance of time management for
efficient leadership functioning
 Identify
3 personal and team-related tasks for the
upcoming week and rank them by priority, and then create
a 7-day schedule with allotted hours for each task
according to priority
Time Management
Guidelines For Time Management




Recognize the reasons for
demands and constraints
Expand your options
Set goals
Determine how time is
spent





Schedule daily and weekly
activities
Avoid unnecessary activities
Conquer procrastination
Utilize reactive activities
Make time for reflective
planning
Source: G. Yukl, Leadership In Organizations (New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2006, p. 42-45)
Time Management
Reasons For Demands & Constraints

Demands and constraints arise from people's expectations of
the leadership role

People's expectations are in turn derived from their values
and needs

Investigate what the people really desire through face-toface communications, thoughtful questioning, and active
listening
Source: G. Yukl, Leadership In Organizations (New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2006, p. 42-45)
Time Management
Expand Your Options

Establish a broader perspective in regards to expectations
(i.e., to produce a health fair vs. to produce an event with
250 attendees)

Goal is to minimize, eliminate, or circumvent the people’s
demands and expectations

Method: Redefine the leadership role to allow more
discretion in expectations
Source: G. Yukl, Leadership In Organizations (New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2006, p. 42-45)
Time Management
Set Goals

Know what you want to accomplish and set clear goals

Review your goals and rank them by priority

Consider your priorities to recognize important tasks and
allot time accordingly
Source: G. Yukl, Leadership In Organizations (New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2006, p. 42-45)
Time Management
Determine How Time Is Spent

Recognize how you manage your time with a daily log of activities
for 1-2 weeks

Observe the cause for each activity (i.e., self, superior, peer,
organization) and whether it was planned or a reaction to urgent
situation

Time wasters should be noted (e.g., unnecessary interruptions,
searching for misplaced items, meetings that run too long)
Source: G. Yukl, Leadership In Organizations (New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2006, p. 42-45)
Time Management
Determine How Time Is Spent

Consider the importance of each activity and whether it
can be avoided, combined with others, or given less time

Minimize time wasters, activities initiated by others and in
reaction to urgent situations

Allot enough time for planned activities of high priority
Source: G. Yukl, Leadership In Organizations (New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2006, p. 42-45)
Time Management
Schedule Daily and Weekly Activities
 Plan
daily and weekly activities in advance with a todo list and calendar of events
 Prioritize
 Set
activities and events
time to plan the next day’s or week’s activities
Source: G. Yukl, Leadership In Organizations (New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2006, p. 42-45)
Time Management
Schedule Daily and Weekly Activities
 Reschedule
or delegate activities of lower priority if
time is unavailable
 Schedule
similar activities (i.e., phone calls, e-mails) at
the same time
 Schedule
demanding tasks during peak periods of
alertness and energy—e.g., early morning hours
Source: G. Yukl, Leadership In Organizations (New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2006, p. 42-45)
Time Management
Avoid Unnecessary Activities
 Unnecessary
activities are of low priority and take time
from more important tasks
 Unnecessary
tasks should be delegated to others or put
off until slack time
 Tactfully
turn down requests of low priority
Source: G. Yukl, Leadership In Organizations (New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2006, p. 42-45)
Time Management
Avoid Unnecessary Activities
 Tactful
ways to turn down requests
 Request
a demanding favor in return for your services
 Suggest
others more fit for the task
 Note
more important tasks put in jeopardy if you follow
their request
Source: G. Yukl, Leadership In Organizations (New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2006, p. 42-45)
Time Management
Conquer Procrastination
 Procrastination
involves overlooking important tasks in
favor of those of less priority
 Fear
of failure is a common reason for procrastination
 Build
confidence by tackling a huge task in small chunks
Source: G. Yukl, Leadership In Organizations (New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2006, p. 42-45)
Time Management
Conquer Procrastination
 Utilize
deadlines to stay on task
 Set
early deadlines well-ahead of the time when the
task must be completed
 Set
aside time in the early morning for unpleasant tasks
to be accomplished first
Source: G. Yukl, Leadership In Organizations (New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2006, p. 42-45)
Time Management
Take Advantage Of Reactive Activities
 Unexpected
situations do not have to be an
inconvenience
 Take
advantage of unscheduled interruptions, meetings,
and encounters
 Seek
new information, discover problems, influence
others, and draft informal plans
Source: G. Yukl, Leadership In Organizations (New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2006, p. 42-45)
Time Management
Make Time For Reflective Planning
 Schedule
1-2 hours each week to reanalyze your plans
and priority list
 Review
plans and priorities with other team members
 Reflective
planning will minimize day-to-day problems
and requests for direction or assistance
Source: G. Yukl, Leadership In Organizations (New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2006, p. 42-45)
Task-Oriented Behaviors
Summary
 Time
Management

Time management is critical for efficient leadership functioning

Leaders are often pressed for time, burdened with incessant
demands, and confronted with crises

In your present leadership role, consider these guidelines to better
manage your time, cope with demands, and manage crises
Leadership Development
Next Topic…
 Clarifying

Roles And Objectives
Our next module discusses guidelines to ensure that everyone
knows what to do, how to do it, and what results are expected
Task-Oriented Behaviors
Sources
 G.
Yukl, Leadership In Organizations, New Jersey:
Pearson Prentice Hall, 2006, p. 42-45
 Free
Management Library
 www.managementhelp.org/ldrship/ldrship.htm