WorkPuzzle

Dueling Time Management Theories: The Right System or The Right State of Mind?

As many of you know, I have a keen interest in time management and productivity.  I love to load my schedule up and work hard to accomplish as much a possible during the day.  If I fall into bed exhausted from a meaningful day's work, I feel satisfied.  At that point, sleep feels like a reward and the next day is something I look forward to tackling. 

But,there is a natural struggle with approaching life like this.  It is only satisfying if I'm accomplishing things that are meaningful and tied to a purpose that I consider important.  As life "happens," I'm constantly pulled towards the things that are urgent and contain less meaning.  Thus, the need for time management becomes even more apparent.

Dave and I have both written WorkPuzzle articles in the past that reference David Allen's time management theories.  Allen has written several best-selling books on this topic, and he is considered by many to be the foremost expert on this topic in recent years.  

Last November, I wrote a series of WorkPuzzle articles (1,2,3,4) highlighting the work of Tony Schwarz.  Schwartz has also written several best-selling books (one of which my kids call "the blue book" because I reference it a lot in our family discussions), but approaches time management and productivity from a completely different perspective than Allen.

As I have studied these two approaches over the last year, I thought I was being original by trying to integrate the best of these authors' theories.  As it turns outs, I wasn't being original at all.  There are a bunch of people trying to reconcile these theories...So many, in fact, that Harvard Business Review (HBR) featured an article this month on the topic of how these theories compare and contrast.  

In today's WorkPuzzle, I'll lay out some background and general ideas.  Next time, I'll summarize some of the speifics that I find particularly helpful. 

First, how each person defines what they do.  In their own words:

David Allen:  "I help people and orgaizations produce more with less input.  I teach a set of best practices and a methodology that produce a greater sense of concentration and control."

Tony Schwartz:  "I teach individuals and organizations how to manage energy more skillfully in order to get more done in less time, more sustainably.  That requires a new way of working--one that balances periods of high focus with intermittent renewal."

What are the general principles that each author teaches?  

Schwartz: "Thereʼs a fundamental misunderstanding about how human beings operate at their best.  Most of us mistakenly assume weʼre meant to run like computers—at high speeds, continuously, for long periods of time, running multiple programs simultaneously.  Itʼs just not true.

Human beings are designed to be rhythmic.  The heart pulses; muscles contract and relax.  Weʼre at our best when weʼre moving rhythmically between spending energy and renewing it.  We need to recognize the insight of athletes, who manage their work-rest ratios.  We encourage people to work intensely for 90 minutes and then take a break to recover.  We teach them to eat small, energy-rich meals every few hours, rather than three big meals a day.  We believe napping drives productivity, although that remains a tough sell in most companies.

Still, the reality is that if a person works continuously all through the day, sheʼll produce less than a person of equal talent who works very intensely for short periods and then recovers before working intensely again."

Allen: "I believe it's an issue of choosing the right work.  Peter Drucker said that the toughest job for knowledge workers is defining the work.  A century ago, 80% of the world made and moved things.  You worked as long as you could, and then you slept, and then you got up and worked again.  You didnʼt have to triage or make executive decisions.  Itʼs harder to be productive today because the work has become much more complex."

Hopefully, this will peak your interest for more detail next time.  By the way, if you haven't picked up a copy of HBR in a while, the May issue would be a good one to buy.  There are a bunch of helpful articles this month... 

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Editor's Note:  This article was written by Ben Hess.  Ben is the Founding Partner and Managing Director of Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle.  Comments or questions are welcome.  If you're an email subscriber, reply to this WorkPuzzle email.  If you read the blog directly from the web, you can click the "comments" link below.

Draining the Meaning From Work: Are You Part of the Problem?

Last Friday, I re-published an excellent article written by Ron Ashkenas about how many of us don't look forward to returning from our weekends.  It is not that weekends should not be enjoyable--it is just that work should be enjoyable too.

One of the causes of this sense of work malaise, as Ron pointed out, is feeling  a lack of purpose at work.  It is well-documented that unless a person feels a legitimate sense of purpose in what they're doing, it will be difficult to sustain excitement and energy towards that activity.

Certainly it's appropriate to take inventory of your own work activities and make sure that you're working with a sense of purpose in your daily tasks.  But here is another important question:  

How would those you manage say they feel about their sense of purpose in your work environment?

Interestingly, Harvard Business Review (HBR) recently conducted some research on this topic and uncovered several surprising insights.  The researchers in the study were trying to figure out how work gets stripped of its meaning (I'm not kidding, people actually do study this stuff).  

The data in the study was collected by analyzing the work diary entries of 238 "knowledge workers" who agreed to be part of the project.  After compiling the data, researchers looked for patterns that related to the topic of meaning at work.  There were four common themes that emerged.  HBR called these themes the "4 Primary Ways in Which Managers Unwittingly Drain Work of Its Meaning."  Here's a quick summary:

1.  Managers dismiss the importance of employees' work or ideas.  This was the most common theme that was documented.  Managers ask someone to work on something, and then pay little attention to the results that are being produced.  The researchers cited one example where an employee went three solid weeks without any positive feedback from his manager on a project that he was told was critical to the company's success.  It is hard to feel like you're working on something meaningful when this type of disconnect happens.

2.  Managers destroy employees' sense of ownership in the work.  When a manager asks someone to work on an important task and then takes it away at a critical juncture, it's demoralizing.  The HBR research did not cite specific real estate industry examples, but I can imagine many cases where new agents are "micro-managed" at just the wrong time.  It is better to allow some mistakes to happen and then train around those mistakes.  This will put a new agent on the path to long-term ownership of their transactions and provide more meaning in their day-to-day tasks.

3.  Managers may send the message that the work employees are doing will never see the light of day.  How could this happen?  In many organizations, there is constant pressure to find innovations that will produce new business and help the company compete more effectively.  But, these innovations may be short-lived if they do not produce quick results.  As priorities change (a necessity in any business), managers need to be sensitive to the time, effort, and life-energy that individuals may have put into these projects.  Find ways to reuse the work accomplished on the shelved projects and be open and forthright with communication about the bigger purpose that may have emerged.

4. Managers neglect to inform employees about unexpected changes in priorities.  As noted above, communication goes a long way to helping people deal with disappointment.  While changes can sometimes not be avoided, it helps to explain the bigger picture.  Keep in mind that BSing someone on your team never works.  People want to be part of an organization that has a consistent and meaningful purpose.  If legitimate changes are necessary to respond to such things as market conditions, new technologies, and competitive pressures, the people you manage will understand.  But, if changes are being made because of bad strategy or management mistakes, things suddenly feel pretty meaningless.

Bottom line:  If you have the responsibility of managing, you also have a responsibility to ensure that those in your group are working with a sense of purpose.  By doing so, you'll not only have a more productive and engaged team, you'll be answering a higher calling of your own.

 Source:  Harvard Business Review, The Power of Small Wins, May 2011, p. 77

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Editor's Note:  This article was written by Ben Hess.  Ben is the Founding Partner and Managing Director of Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle.  Comments or questions are welcome.  If you're an email subscriber, reply to this WorkPuzzle email.  If you read the blog directly from the web, you can click the "comments" link below.

Are You Looking Forward to the Weekend?

I've been up to my ears the last week or so and have not had time to write and publish on schedule.  I hope to get back on track next week.  In lieu of publishing something original, I thought I'd share an article that I ran across earlier in the week that I found particularly helpful.    

Most of us are looking forward to the Easter weekend where we'll enjoy time with friends and family.  But, will you be one of those who feels a little disappointment, or maybe some anxiety when Sunday night rolls around?  If so, Ron's advice may be helpful. 

Make the Weekend Last All Week

-Written by Ron Ashkenas

Ron Ashkenas is a managing partner of Schaffer Consulting and a co-author of The GE Work-Out and The Boundaryless Organization.  His latest book is Simply Effective.

Not long ago I was talking with a recently retired client who said that the best thing about retirement was not having weekends.  I must have looked puzzled, because he then explained that all the years of his working life had been based on one major distinction:  that being the difference between the "workweek" and the "weekend."  Monday through Friday was spent doing what he had to do, while the weekend was the time for doing what he really enjoyed.

So — like so many of us — every Sunday night he would start getting anxious about going back to work.  But as a retiree, now his life wasn't regulated by this rhythm.  In other words, he didn't have to stop doing what he really enjoyed just because the weekend was over.

My guess is that many people feel this tension between their jobs and their lives.  Work is what they do for a living, while the meaningful (and fun) activities take place outside of work.  As the old joke goes, "If it was fun, they wouldn't call it work."

What's behind this sentiment, and what can managers do to blur this self-imposed distinction between the workweek and the weekend?  Let me suggest three causes of the weekend syndrome, each of which holds an opportunity for managers to make their people feel more excited — and more productive — at work.

Lack of purpose:  First, it's likely that some of your people feel that their work doesn't make a difference in the wider world.  It may not be universal, but many people are motivated by a desire to contribute socially, as Dave and Wendy Ulrich suggest in The Why of Work.  Witness the large numbers of employees who commit time (outside of work) to volunteering, political causes, and religious groups.  Imagine the kind of commitment and energy they would exhibit in the workplace if they felt that their jobs made an equal difference.  Yet the irony is that almost all organizations must create some form of social value, or they wouldn't remain in existence.  Organizations create products or services that people need, discover ways to improve the quality of life, enhance our security, fuel our economy, and educate our children.  But in the humdrum of everyday work, we often lose sight of these connections.
Opportunity:  Continually remind people of the purpose of the business — and how their individual and team activities make a difference.

Meaningless Tasks:  A second reason why people devalue their work time is that often they are asked to complete stupid or menial tasks.  Most employees are smart enough to know when they are spending time on tasks or activities that don't add value — unnecessary processes, dead-end research, endless decision loops, bureaucratic approvals, redundant presentations, unproductive meetings, etc.  When employees' jobs fill up with these responsibilities they become bored, cynical, and frustrated — and increasingly look for fulfillment outside of work.
Opportunity:  Engage people in seeking out and destroying these mind-numbing activities.  A number of years ago Wal-Mart called it "Get the Dumb Out" of work; and many companies such as GE and IBM do this continually and relentlessly.

The Fun Factor:  The third possible cause for the weekend syndrome is that work simply isn't fun.  We drearily perform the same tasks, talk to the same people, and produce the same products and services on a daily basis.  There's no game-like competition, no challenge, no adrenaline rush.  And in the absence of those zest factors, people seek their fun and excitement outside of work, through sports, escapist entertainment, family games, travel, etc.
Opportunity:  My colleagues and I have worked with hundreds of managers over the years who have found creative ways to inject fun into the workplace — through hundred-day projects, team challenges, model weeks, customer field trips, innovation contests, and the like.  Although it's not in any job description, making work fun is an important part of a manager's responsibilities.

Great organizations are places where employees are excited to get out of bed each morning and go to work — to find meaning, do things that add value, and have fun.  If you can create that kind of environment in your workplace, your people won't be looking forward just to the weekend — they'll also be looking forward to Monday morning.

It is a good reminder for all of us--we need to enjoy the weekends, but also learn to enjoy the weeks.  Happy Easter!

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Editor's Note:  This article was written by Ben Hess.  Ben is the Founding Partner and Managing Director of Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle.  Comments or questions are welcome.  If you're an email subscriber, reply to this WorkPuzzle email.  If you read the blog directly from the web, you can click the "comments" link below.

Three Steps To Becoming A Better Manager

In the previous edition, I shared a true story that many of you found quite alarming.  In closing, I promised to next provide a no-nonsense path to becoming a better manager.  After all, becoming a true leader takes work - It doesn't happen accidentally.  It occurs mindfully and intentionally for most...and although it may appear to come naturally and accidentally for a few, it really doesn't.  Everyone has to work at it.  Research shows that it takes 10,000 hours of doing a task well to become an expert at it.  Management is no different.

To catch up, please take a moment to read the last posting if you haven't already.  In summary the question was posed:  If you were suddenly thrown into a position of having to count on a TRUE following - not an appointed following- would there be anyone following you?

If you're not quite sure, there is good news... By following a simple set of steps, you can begin to slowly build the behavior of a good leader. Here are a few of the essentials:

1. Find a mentor.  If you want to become a leader, it's imperative that you learn from a leader.  Don't put this off.  Assign yourself the task of finding someone now.  And don't just find someone who's getting the job done - Find someone who's hitting it out of the park.  Every time you are with this person, have a list of good questions, and ask them.  What are their habits?  What are their top priorities?  What they may see as second nature, you might find revolutionary.  Make their habits yours.
2. Listen to people and meet their needs.  Great leaders know what their people want and help them fulfill their goals.  They know what motivates each individual, what scares each individual, and ultimately what each person dreams of.  If you're simply fulfilling your role in order to exploit the talents and performance of the people you are leading, they'll smell it a mile a way.  Agents, whether you're recruiting them or motivating them to perform, are not objects to exploit, they are people to help.  And when they feel helped by you and inspired by you, they'll return the favor.  Make this a central focus every day.  Scott Nelson, owner of Comey and Shepherd in Cincinnati, sets a great standard:  "Our managers are required to 're-recruit' their own agents, at least one per week, and take them off-site to lunch or coffee.  I do the same thing, and usually have two or three such lunches per week.  I engage 125-150 agents per year, and it makes a big difference.  I also go to a branch sales meeting each week and keep in touch personally with email."
3. Coaching is Key.  What is the bottom line?  It's this:  If your agents don't perform well, you don't perform well.  Just like when a college basketball coach doesn't coach well, the team doesn't perform well.  There is a reason that most successful sports coaches develop slowly from coaching at the high school level--to college assistant--to head coach... They must gradually learn the skills of training and motivating a team to greatness.  Even the most talented young athletes who are recruited from across the country require consistent practice, direction, and motivation.  Learn how to build performance, and you'll always have a job.

Don't get in a habit of blaming poor performance on other variables--like for instance, "They're lazy or stupid."  Great coaches never do this.  Always view it as your responsibility to coach more effectively. 

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Editor's Note: This article was written by Dr. David Mashburn. Dave is a Clinical and Consulting Psychologist, a Partner at Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle. Comments or questions are welcome. If you're an email subscriber, reply to this WorkPuzzle email. If you read the blog directly from the web, you can click the "comments" link below.

Why Sitting At Your Desk Will Kill Your Business: Part 2

Earlier this week, I stressed the importance of spending less time at the desk and more time building value-added relationships.  How critical is this principle?  The following scenario provides a powerful example regarding the Real Estate Manager position, but I think it relates to the position of Real Estate Agent as well.  Answer the following question honestly:

If ownership announced tomorrow:

"As of today there are no longer Office Manager positions.  That job is no longer a part of our organizational structure.  From this day forward the Manager position will be replaced by a Coach/Recruiter position.  And furthermore, if you don't have a high number of agents who choose to be coached by you and a large pipeline of experienced agents from other companies who you meet with, or contact regularly in hopes of recruiting, then you no longer have a job."

How would that turn out for you?  A little scary isn't it?

Well guess what?  This actually happened recently in a fairly large real estate company.  (In an upcoming article I may share with you more about this company.  I'm awaiting permission to do so...)

If you would fare VERY well in the above scenario, pat yourself on the back for a job well done.  You can consider yourself part of the top 25% of managers who have managed to build a true and committed following.  If you would truly fear the above scenario, it's not too late.  At any time, you can commit to actions that will improve your "true following"-- It's time to overhaul your weekly schedule and prioritize your schedule to better reflect what leaders actually do.

The title of "Leader" can be appointed, but the meaning of Leader is much more practical than that.  A true leader is determined by how many people would actually follow them, given the choice.  As I mentioned, sitting at your desk is not the way to build a following.

In the upcoming final edition on this topic, I'll provide three steps to becoming a good manager.

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Editor's Note: This article was written by Dr. David Mashburn. Dave is a Clinical and Consulting Psychologist, a Partner at Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle. Comments or questions are welcome. If you're an email subscriber, reply to this WorkPuzzle email. If you read the blog directly from the web, you can click the "comments" link below.

Why sitting at your desk will kill your business

I know we all have work to do.  And much of that work is at our desk and on our computer.  And yes, we shouldn't fall behind in the work that must be done at that location.  But, I would argue that most of us spend far too much time with busy work, and far too little time in the activity of strengthening relationships.  In fact, I would dare to say that many of you may be using "desk time" to avoid the work of building relationships, which is the vital nourishment to the ultimate success in the service industry.

Ben and I recently attended two conferences.  The primary reason for attending these conferences was to set up meetings with several interested, prospective clients in order to, hopefully, get them signed on as clients.  Secondly, we used this time to touch base with current clients and further build those relationships.  Unfortunately, we had several cancellations of set appointments, and were left twiddling our thumbs much of the time in the business suite we had rented.

I could have easily used this extra time to get ahead in my writing, catch up with email or numerous personal computer related chores. Fortunately, the very principle of this blog edition came screaming in my conscious mind:  "Nothing can happen if I'm in my room!"

As I ventured out with no particular plan in mind, day after day, I stumbled onto several very old and very new clients, in addition to non-client acquaintances.  Without going into too much detail regarding who I met and spoke to, I CAN tell you that many of these interactions were absolutely priceless.

Being around people, having conversations, asking about families, getting to know their challenges, and then actually helping them, and them helping you, is how most businesses are built.

• Howard Shultz, founder and CEO of Starbucks visits...drum roll please...25 Starbucks locations per week.
• Herb Kelleher, well known natural schmoozer and CEO of Southwest Airlines for 37 years was known to say, "You have to treat your employees like customers."  And by the way, the day of his retirement celebration, Southwest pilots took out a full page ad in USA Today thanking Herb.  That same day, American Airlines pilots were picketing their employer...

If you are a manager of people, or an agent trying to build a business, you cannot miss the importance of this principle.  The priority of rubbing elbows with the people that you coach, manage, hope to do business with, those you've already done business with, and hope to recruit... is irreplaceable.

How important?  I'll use an example in the next blog that might surprise you.

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Editor's Note:  This article was written by Dr. David Mashburn.  Dave is a Clinical and Consulting Psychologist, a Partner at Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle.  Comments or questions are welcome.  If you're an email subscriber, reply to this WorkPuzzle email.  If you read the blog directly from the web, you can click the "comments" link below.

Seven Reasons Candidates Should Be Meeting With Your CEO

I have spoken recently with two of our clients who have implemented the hiring practice of having candidates meet with the CEO or President of the company.  As a result, in both cases, the companies are experiencing recruiting results significantly above other companies who use our service.

  While this is not the only factor leading to the success of these clients, they may have discovered a best practice that could benefit many more companies who want to improve their hiring results. 

I thought we had just serendipitously found this technique, but it turns out that many high performing companies use a meeting with the CEO to improve their recruiting effectiveness--especially with candidates who have a lot of potential.  Recruiting guru, Dr. John Sullivan, recently documented some of the reasons these meetings are so effective:

"If you’ve ever eaten at a high-end restaurant you know that it isn’t uncommon for the executive chef to visit the tables of VIP customers in hopes that he can influence them to refer their friends and return.  Using the CEO in recruiting efforts is very similar.  The act has been encouraged for years, but doesn’t happen nearly as much as it should.  Some of the reasons why this approach is so powerful include:

• CEOs are great salespeople (usually) — It’s hard to ascend to the role of CEO without being able to sell a vision and market your organization’s ability to attain that vision.  When effectively briefed about a candidate’s 'job acceptance criteria' most CEOs can close the deal.  In the rare cases where the candidate doesn’t accept, they often come back a month later.
• The feeling of a partnership and an impact — When I advise firms on this practice, I recommend that the CEO use a phrase similar to 'I need your help. I know that with you and I working closely together, we can build an exciting future for this company.'  The goal is to build the feeling of a partnership and a close working relationship that will directly impact the future of the company for many years.
• Straight from the horse’s mouth — Talking directly to the CEO means that the candidate will receive direct unfiltered messages.  That alone can be reassuring when they might not trust the word of a recruiter oblivious to the inside story.
• High probability of execution — The candidate knows that any promises that are made have a high probability of coming true because they are backed by the power, resources, and integrity of the CEO.
• Future access — The fact that the CEO will meet with a candidate now should leave the impression that they will have continuous access as an employee.
• Power by association — Because everyone at the firm knows that the candidate met with the CEO, they’re likely, at least initially, to listen to them.
• Bragging rights — Talking directly to the CEO is something notable that the candidate can tell their friends, even if they never accept a job.  It’s an honor merely to be invited."

In real estate recruiting, I believe that this technique can have an even stronger impact on younger candidates.  It is a big risk for many individuals to start a real estate career--this is especially true if you're young (not much experience yet), need a primary income (not the spouse who supplements the family's income while the kids are in school), and have talent (have options to work in other career fields).  If someone like this is on the fence, it is a great time to bring in the big guns.

What if your CEO is reluctant to play this role?  Dr. Sullivan offers some advice on this as well:

"Some CEOs are smart and automatically assume the role as 'the chief recruiter' for the firm.  In other cases it takes some convincing and building the business case.  Some approaches to consider include:

• Others do it — Demonstrate to her/him that other CEOs who they admire are successfully using this technique.
• Consider a pilot — Offer to run a small-scale pilot program for a month in order to judge the results and the ROI.
• Show the impact on recruiting — Show them the percentage increase in the number of difficult candidates who are hired as a result of the CEO being involved.  Also, during onboarding, ask new hires with CEO involvement to rank the factors that influenced their decision to say yes.  Report the importance of their involvement back to the CEO.
• Show the impact on performance — Periodically report the superior business results and innovations produced by individuals who were recruited using this approach.
• Place limits — Show them that you respect their time by setting a limit on the number [of meetings] they are requested to do each month.  Also limit it to high-impact jobs and hard-to-recruit candidates for those jobs."

Question:  Does your company's President or CEO meet with candidates?  If so, what has been the result of these interviews?

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Editor's Note:  This article was written by Ben Hess.  Ben is the Founding Partner and Managing Director of Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle.  Comments or questions are welcome.  If you're an email subscriber, reply to this WorkPuzzle email.  If you read the blog directly from the web, you can click the "comments" link below.

Three Timeless Time Management Ideas

I know that many of you are expecting another blog about "attracting younger agents," but I am waiting for more responses to my call for input first.  I'll follow up next time...

For some reason, I have had difficulty prioritizing my time to get the most out of the last few weeks.  Over the past couple of years, I have used several systems to help with this, but occasionally I feel the need to find something new to help me organize and shake things up a bit.  I'll share with you an old system that I have used in the past, and two new ones I came across this past week in my blog reading (one from Dan Foster's blog).

The old system is modeled after Steven Covey's book- First Things First.  It is based on a simple four quadrant matrix where you have to categorize "Urgent" vs. "Non-Urgent" tasks, and "Important" vs. "Non-Important" tasks.

The Urgent/Important tasks of the week go straight to the top of your to-do list.  These are the tasks that are not only very important to you, but should be done now (or regularly).  These are the tasks that impact your life or your business greatly.  This list should include activities that build and drive your values, your family, and your business.  These are the items that will define you in the future.

The Non-Urgent/Important tasks are those that are equally valuable, but can wait, and don't have to be done regularly.  More on this later...

The Urgent/Non-Important tasks are those that may appear to beckon your attention, yet don't come close to competing with the "important" tasks.  These tasks can be difficult to determine.  They may be the fires that people bring you that perhaps distract you from the real work to be done.  For real estate managers, they might be some of the deal doctoring that could be delegated to someone else, freeing you to do the work that impacts the bottom line, like recruiting.

And lastly the Non-Urgent/Non-Important tasks are those that should be dropped off your list.  Last week I was on the verge of beginning a task that might have ended up being a daily series of these blogs, only on Twitter.  Now, for some, Twitter may fit into a more important or urgent category (or both)...perhaps it is their way of connecting with their young audience or marketing their services.  But, after reading that only 1% of Americans are using Twitter and that most of them are under the age of 30...for me, it doesn't make sense.  For others, it might.  Just make sure it does!  And when it does, where does it fit in the above categories?

And now for the new systems... The first one comes from CEO, Scott Belsky, who reminds us that with most priority systems, like the one above, we can easily exclude the most important priority:  Finding Adequate time to invest in thinking creatively about the future.  Watch this video for insight into this often forgotten practice.

Scott Belsky: Is It Urgent, Or Is It Important? from 99% on Vimeo.

This next system is shared by Dan Foster, Manager at Prudential NW in Portland.  His system takes more time, but may be worth the work.

Track how you spend your time.  Spend 3-5 days recording everything you do in 15 minute increments.  Sounds terrible, and to be honest, it is.  Stick with it though.

1. Identify your high and low payoff activities.  From your list, assess each of your activities and identify them as either HIGH PAYOFF or LOW PAYOFF.  You should have anywhere from 3-7 high payoff activities, depending on your role with your company.
2. Create your perfect week.  Take a blank weekly calendar and write out your perfect schedule for a week.
3. Delegate the low payoff activities.  Assemble the activities that did not make it into your perfect week and that you consider low-payoff activities and delegate them to someone else.
4. Communicate your schedule.  It is extremely important that you let your clients, team, and family know about your new schedule and priority management plan.  People will respect your time if they see you value it.  Post your schedule, the hours you are available, and when you are completely unavailable.
5. Practice delivering solution based “No” responses.  My high payoff activities become non-negotiable appointments on my calendar.  If someone wants to meet during the time I have a high payoff activity scheduled, I tell them “No, I can’t meet with you then, but I can at ________ or at ________.  Which of these two times works best for you?”  This is a solution based “No” response and people prefer it to a simple “No, I can’t,” or “No, I’m busy then."
6. Review your plan.  Your new plan should be reviewed daily for the first 30 days.  After that, a weekly review is ideal.  Shift activities to different time slots if needed during this review.  Assess your energy level at certain times of the day and determine what level is required for you to deliver maximum results.  Make adjustments and re-engage the next week.

There is value and wisdom in using various systems and integrating them as they make sense and as your business evolves.  I have already performed a review of my own calendar and to-do list...now it's your turn!

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Editor's Note:  This article was written by Dr. David Mashburn.  Dave is a Clinical and Consulting Psychologist, a Partner at Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle.  Comments or questions are welcome.  If you're an email subscriber, reply to this WorkPuzzle email.  If you read the blog directly from the web, you can click the "comments" link below.

Appealing to Younger Agents

A recent Real Trends article hammered home what many of us have suspected for quite some time...that the real estate agent population is aging.  In their article "Younger Sales Professionals Leaving the Industry in Droves" they go a step further, telling us that, not only are they difficult to attract, but that these younger agents are also difficult to retain:

"When viewed only by median age, the change has not seemed severe:  The median age went from 52 (in 2004) to 51 (in 2006) to 54 (in 2009).  This is noticeable, but most haven’t seemed to react too much over it (though it’s hard not to note that in the recent three-year period the median age increased by three years, which essentially says that the whole group just stayed the same and aged together – this alone is revealing).  

Based on our calculations, the number of sales professionals under the age of 35 has dropped from 149,000 to 101,000 (down 32%).  Over the same period, the number of sales professionals 35 to 44 has dropped from 272,000 to 156,000 (43% down); those 45 to 54 have dropped from 407,000 to 301,000 (26% down).  At the same time, the 55-and-over group has virtually held steady (going from 557,000 to 545,000).  In other words, we lost 164,000 Gen X’ers and Millennials in a three-year period (nearly 40% of what they were)."  (Real Trends Volume March 2011, XXV, Number 3)

Their explanation of this trend is fairly straight forward and I believe it is right on target.  They say:

"If we focus on the 35 to 44 group, which represented 20% of the total agent population in both 2004 and 2006 but only 14% today, we know that this generation had never experienced a down market before this one (after all, they were all in their thirties five years ago, and age 25 to 34 a decade ago).  It would seem that this group hit the wall and struggled to make ends meet just as they were moving to an age when one normally settles down and focuses on a long-term career.  They were brought into the business at a time when the industry was largely focused, from NAR right down through the individual brokerages, on expanding rosters to higher profits by recruiting, recruiting, and recruiting.  With some exceptions, similar energies were generally not put into training during this time.  Bad habits were formed, “easy money” was made by many thanks to a booming market, and too little was done to prepare for a shifting weather pattern.  When the downturn in the housing market went from bad to historic, it’s no wonder that many in this generation were not prepared to handle the jolt."

Real Trends' solution to the problems, however, seems a bit short-sided to me.  They recommend bringing younger candidates into today's rental market.  Not a entirely bad idea, but, I see the problem of attracting and retaining young talent to be much more complex than that very simple solution.

Before publishing some of my own thoughts about this trend, I would greatly appreciate hearing from some of our readers.  So, in the next day or so, please let me know what you think.  In the meantime, I'll write my thoughts out...and I'll be ready to add yours in the next edition.

You can send them by email or respond to this blog.  Thanks!

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Editor's Note:  This article was written by Dr. David Mashburn.  Dave is a Clinical and Consulting Psychologist, a Partner at Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle.  Comments or questions are welcome.  If you're an email subscriber, reply to this WorkPuzzle email.  If you read the blog directly from the web, you can click the "comments" link below.

Social Networking and Recruiting: 7 Guidelines for What to Share on Facebook

Yesterday, I pointed out that sharing too much in your social networks (quantity) is annoying to those who interact with you online.  It is a good way to get relegated to the spam box or simply turned off.  It is better to thoughtfully select the things you share (quality), and post less often.

The risk of taking this approach is that you may come across as shallow or having an agenda that is self-serving.  Having a clear focus can produce its own set of casualties. This is the classic problem with politics, advertising, marketing, branding, social media and recruiting.  Is there a middle ground that is just right?  I think so, and that place is called authenticity.

To help us understand authenticity, I'd like to share part of an article written by Heather Bussing.  Heather is an employment and business attorney who recently wrote Does Authenticity Make My Butt Look Big? In the article, she lays out some very helpful guidelines regarding what is appropriate to share professionally in social networks:

"I’ve been listening to sessions on employment branding at the Tru London conference.  The overall consensus is that companies should be more 'authentic'  But what does that really mean?  And how do you do it?  Asking yourself if you are being authentic enough is like asking if your what you're wearing makes your butt look big.  The questions are equally narcissistic and no one is going to tell you the truth.  (By the way, transparency always makes your butt look big.) 

 
To work on being more 'authentic' is to preclude the very possibility of authenticity.  Authenticity is not a destination.  It’s part of the sweat you work up taking a good hard run at life.  There is no way to 'be' authentic.  Authenticity is inherent in just being.  This is because being authentic is just being yourself.  If you are comfortable in your own skin, you will be authentic without trying.

For some, being authentic means revealing personal information.  For others, it means demonstrating their quirks and foibles to seem more human.  Still others want to be clearer in their communications and say exactly what they mean.  These things don’t always work, nor do they demonstrate authenticity.  The whole point of authenticity is credibility.  When we say someone is authentic it means that they are not fake, they are true and you can believe them.  As Jean Giraudeaux once said:

'The secret of success is sincerity.  Once you can fake that you’ve got it made.'

But,the reverse is also true:

'A little sincerity is a dangerous thing, and a great deal of it is absolutely fatal'            - Oscar Wilde.
 
So the key is to be yourself but stay focused on your purpose, audience and topic.  Here are some practical tips I’ve learned as a trial lawyer on where to draw the line with your genuine, sincere, authenticity:

1. Avoid TMI:  Too Much Information is not the same as being authentic.  People don’t want to know about your medical conditions, particularly anything involving a rash or oozing.  They also don’t want to know about the toilet training of your children, how you cured smelly feet or other such personal information.
2. Avoid Public Heartfelt Disclosures:  It absolutely works in private and is essential to close relationships.  Most people are really uncomfortable with that level of disclosure with people they don’t know.  So avoid public discussion in business or professional settings of the epiphanies you had in therapy, church, a personal discussion with your spouse, or any combination thereof.
3. Self deprecation only works if it’s funny.  Irony doesn’t come through in writing unless you are a really talented writer with room for context.  Even adding an emoticon just doesn’t cut it.  If you say, 'I’m such an idiot,'  people will just think you’re an idiot.  On the other hand, you can push the line a lot farther if it’s funny.
4. Be your 'professional' self.  Put things out there you would share with a new boss or colleague.  If it’s someone who would get less than 70% on your Facebook How well do you know me quiz, it’s probably TMI.
5. Do not post anything online out of anger, fear, after more than one drink, or after 10 pm, whichever comes first.
6. Righteous indignation, no matter how passionate and heartfelt, always comes off closer to raving lunatic.
7. If you are uncomfortable, you’ll never pull it off.  Don’t even try to overcome it.  So just be uncomfortable and move on.  It will pass as soon as you let it.

The real key to communicating authentically is understanding what you are saying really well, then saying it as clearly and simply as possible.  This takes a lot more work and a lot more time than knocking off a few lines at the keyboard or flying by the seat of your pants.  It often requires editing, polishing, feedback and rethinking—all things that are often absent in online publishing."  

Bottom line:  Authenticity is both knowing what you are talking about and saying it really well.  The power of social networks--as a viable recruiting and business tool--will not be realized until we learn this lesson.

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Editor's Note:  This article was written by Ben Hess.  Ben is the Founding Partner and Managing Director of Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle.  Comments or questions are welcome.  If you're an email subscriber, reply to this WorkPuzzle email.  If you read the blog directly from the web, you can click the "comments" link below.