Tips for Managing Interruptions in Your Work Day

Written by: By Leslie Shreve Productivity Expert

“Gotta minute?”

How many times do you hear that during your day at work? It’s a common interruption from your staff, colleagues or leaders that causes you to break your focus, stop what you’re doing and give attention to the person standing in your doorway.

If it’s not a person, then the interruption is from your office phone, cell phone or e-mail, which are all still demands on your time and attention and cause you to behave reactively instead of proactively. And reactivity can cause you to lose time and other equally important things, like losing track of tasks, deadlines and opportunities, especially if you’re not surrounded by systems you trust.

It’s time to be more proactive about your time.

It’s true… interruptions will never stop altogether and sometimes they can even be productive – holding a wealth of information (or entertainment) and chock full of great ideas and opportunities.

However, timing is everything during your work day and while too much structure can put a damper on your day, structure is absolutely necessary for you to have freedom and a productive day so you can still take some interruptions without losing ground on your work day productivity.

First, every professional needs to protect at least 20% of their day from interruptions – period. That means 80% of your day is “available” with your door open, if you have one. This also means you can answer the phone, cell phone or look at e-mail if you want.

But during your 20%, you need to shut the door, direct all calls to voice mail, turn away from your e-mail and don’t take any interruptions. This should be your best and most focused quality time for getting your things done. I suggest one hour in the morning and one hour in the afternoon.

Below I’ve offered five tips you can use to start making changes in your work day. And remember that being constantly interrupted is not your fate or destiny. It is truly changeable. You’re still in control!

1.) Remove Yourself
Work more from home, use a conference room in the office or simply close your office door to reduce external interruptions.

2.) Set (or Re-Set) Expectations
Discuss your new plan with your staff or colleagues and let them know how long you’ll be unavailable and when you’ll be available again. One of the most stressful things to endure as a staff member or direct report is worrying about when they’ll get to talk with their leaders again. Taking the same time each day for quiet time will help others get to know your routine sooner than later.

3.) Close Your Door
When you close your door for quiet time, let people know that unless there’s a true emergency (the building is on fire, someone’s bleeding out…) that you do not wish to be disturbed. Be sure to define emergency – in your own terms – so they know what you mean.

4.) Lock the door
Put a note on your door about when you’ll be available again in order to communicate to those who may not be on your team. Then lock the door so people won’t rudely and arbitrarily walk into your office when your door is shut. If you’ve set expectations and have support from your peers or leaders, then there should be no issue with this at all. I’ve had clients do this and it works wonderfully!

5.) Decide Ahead of Time
If you DON’T decide ahead of time whether you’ll answer your phone or cell phone, look at e-mail, or answer the door, then you’ll fall victim to them every time you experience one of these interruptions. You’re more likely to stay focused if you know what your intentions are for your 20%.

Leslie Shreve shows professionals how to get the freedom to do what they really want to do – sooner than later.
www.productiveday.com
“Leslie was my Productivity Coach in 2011 and really is an expert in this subject matter. If you want to take your productivity to the next level, contact Leslie.” Mike Mack, Business Strategist, X5 Management Inc.

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Guest Writer: Greg Campbell, P. Eng
President & CEO, Spieker Point Inc.
www.spiekerpoint.com

Two team leaders sit down with their top level manager for a bi-weekly meeting. Both are feeling the pressure to get their team to complete their portion of a particular job. The first team leader has a “always be optimistic” attitude – never outright “lying”, having in mind the best case scenario of what could be completed if all the conditions are perfect. The second team leader is a straight shooter always cautious of “real world” events that often arise. If the top level manager is familiar with the two, the messages are tempered with that historical knowledge and the real story filters through. What if the industry these three play in has a high turnover rate? Perhaps one person is not known to the other two, and qualitative evaluation of the messages can deliver the wrong “bottom line”.

Data is the great equalizer. It presents the story to the viewer with emotion and bias factored out. “Just the facts Ma’am”, as Joe Friday would say. Us humans can quickly compare a set of standard data points and draw real conclusions.

The pace of business is constantly increasing. Industries which traditionally had large margins built in to account for inefficiencies in the entire process are quickly realizing that competition is placing downward pressure on prices and forcing a new effort on getting a real understanding of what is happening.

I was at a conference a couple of weeks ago. One of the breakout sessions was looking at the efficiency gains that can be found in the construction industry. The moderator of the breakout session was an industry association leader who used anecdotal evidence that their industry is riddled with inefficiency. Waiting for power tool batteries to recharge, material wasted, etc. When looking at the bottom line in the construction industry, perhaps a $35/hr construction worker hunting for a $5 2×4 cutoff IS inefficient. When looking at “the green line”, perhaps a completely different story emerges. How do we know until it’s measured?

Once data is available, real decisions affecting the entire ecosystem of costs, eco-friendliness, safety, employee retention, training, etc. can be made. All sorts of interesting questions can be asked of the data. “Gut feelings” can suddenly be proven to have teeth, or be gently put to rest. It is then possible to extract gold from real data that shines a bright light into the dark corners that were previously the hiding place for inefficiency, covered by large margins.

Greg Campbell is a Computer Engineer. He is the President/Owner of Spieker Point which lives at the intersection of data analytics, business process and software engineering. As a professional software development team, Spieker Point has developed a core group of products to help various organizations manage their customers, transactions, reporting and business processes.

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In his blog post on April 26, 2012, Mike Mack discussed well defined business process and its relevance with respect to making businesses more efficient. I recently attended a Synergy Networking Group breakfast (Edmonton), at which, Don Kaisian of Kaisian Architecture Interior Design and Planning, was the guest speaker. As a result of his presentation, I discovered that the benefits of process reach well beyond day-to-day business operations. He described how they have actually made his architectural firm design more functional and inspiring structures.

In a rapidly-changing global economy, businesses are constantly searching for ways to uniquely enhance any aspect of their offering or operation in order to achieve or sustain a competitive advantage. A firm’s ability to creatively improve or adapt can mean the difference between rising above the competition and being left behind.

If you acknowledge the value of creativity in business, you may ask the question, “is creativity innate? Do creative ideas just come out of nowhere?” No, research shows that creativity in the human mind is subject to the associations, that mind has formed. Stimulation and practice determines how quickly, easily and effectively these associations can be formed and accessed. As soon as an individual is born their brain begins developing associations that allow the mind to access information in a quick and streamlined fashion. This is mechanism is advantageous for becoming proficient at simple everyday tasks. However, when it comes to being creative, this mechanism can serve as a hindrance. We can end up perpetually utilizing the dominate and dependable associations in our mind, which further fortifies these associations, and makes us more likely to continue thinking about things a certain way. As a result, the efficiency of our minds can actually get in our way, when we are trying to generate creative ideas. 

How can you be more creative when it comes to your business? Using processes can actually help the mind to create new associations and develop new ideas. A simple example of this type of process is referred to as reverse brainstorming. Begin with a positive, How do(can) we…… statement. For example, “How can we increase sales of product X in segment Y?” Then reverse it: “How can we decrease sales of product X in segment Y?” You will find that this forces you to attack the problem or opportunity from a fresh perspective. Once these ideas are reversed again they may trigger a so called “ah ha” moment.

There are many different creativity techniques and tools available for groups or individuals that help unpack problems, generate radical ideas and arrive at new solutions. What is common between all of these techniques and tools is process. Thus, process, contrary to popular belief, is not only important for directly increasing efficiency and profitability. It is an avenue through which you can focus and challenge your mind and the minds of your employees and should not be thought of as something that stifles creativity, but rather, something that channels it.

Written by: Dennis Bridges, MBA  Business Strategist X5 Management

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Guest Post by Idris Fashan
Red Paper Clip Writing Company

Last week, in his blog post, It’s a Process, Mike shared how creating business processes can help remove the guesswork in establishing and maintaining an efficient, profitable business.

Months ago, I had read Built to Sell, on his suggestion, and I began laying the groundwork for my own business processes and business growth.

But one thing kept coming up for me, and this is one issue that I have had many conversations with other entrepreneurs about:

Knowing where I want to go, and knowing how I get there is incredibly valuable, but then how can I implement and manage these things while still running a growing business?

If the work doesn’t overwhelm, the thinking might.

Taking the Slight Edge

Mike often emphasizes the principle of 100% improvement in 1% pieces, and the truth of this is that most of us would not be able to do much more.

A friend last week suggested Jeff Olson’s recent book, The Slight Edge, and although I am still getting through it, it’s a fascinating read.

One story that really stands out for me is the flywheel effect. Success isn’t en end; it’s a continuum. Imagine a person trying to rotate a large flywheel, starting from one push. Each nudging of the flywheel is built on the work performed earlier. The compounded effort builds momentum, but it always starts from one singular effort which multiplies exponentially over time.

The Slight Edge helps you create an action-focused approach that from the start retains that long view. It lets you narrow on the small steps that move you forward, and build those steps into your own flywheel effect.

But here is the trap: These steps are both “easy to do and easy not to do.” The very effect that can bring huge success for you over time is the same effect that (if you do not take positive actions) can lead to stagnation and eventual failure.

According to Olson, these small, undetectable steps that we choose to do or not do are what really determines success.

The jury’s still out on the book, but if every thousand-mile journey begins with a single step, it makes sense that repeatedly neglecting steps over time will affect the direction or length of your trip.

Do you agree? Does the flywheel effect play into your business successes? I’d like to know how you start and build those small steps, so please comment below!

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If you want your business to improve, change, or go to the next level what will it take to get there?

Many factors will contribute to achieving the desired outcomes.

Good people.

A solid economy.

Valued product.

A steady flow of Customers.

Good management decisions. 

One key piece of the puzzle that is often missed is “process”.

In our Business Consulting practice this word comes up many times every week with clients, or business associates.

Regardless of what business you are in, there must be a “process” and systems in place to ensure that things get done.  More importantly, it is to ensure that things get done in a consistent, profitable and efficient manner.

“Process” is defined as follows: A series of actions, changes, or functions bringing about a result, or a series of operations performed in the making a product or delivering a service.

The book, “Built to Sell” by John Warrillow is all about making your business more effective and efficient in all aspects. One Chapter is dedicated specifically to this topic. (“Putting the process into action”)

Ultimately you need to create the process.  You then test and measure the process to ensure that it works as you intended. Constant tweaking and fine-tuning may be necessary to improve efficiency and your desired outcomes.

It sounds simple, but the reality is that many businesses do not have formal processes in place.  This can have a negative impact when a longstanding employee leaves a position and someone new arrives and has nothing to follow.

This could pertain to any functional role in any company.  (eg. Customer Service, Recruiting, Performance Management, Business Development, Accounting, Shipping/Receiving, Sales Management, Production, Manufacturing, or Design…..the list is endless)

The investment of time and team expertise is worth it in the long run to create and perfect your business process.

What is your next step to improve your process?

Mike Mack, MBA Business Strategist X5 Management

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Written by: Jason Desaulniers, CFP, CIM, CHS Business Coach, X5 Management Inc.

“I realized early on that success was tied to not giving up. Most people in this business
have given up and went on to do other things. If you simply didnʼt give up, you would
outlast the people who came in on the bus with you.” -Harrison Ford, Actor

What is selling, and what does the actor Harrison Ford have to do with it? Simply put,
everybody is either selling or buying, every day, in every relationship and transaction.

Whether you are an accountant selling your fee-based advisory services to clients, a car
salesperson selling your vehicles to the public, or a teacher selling your lessons and
knowledge to students…you are all selling…or else you are buying “their” reasons for
not “buying” from you.

The underlying theme in the above example is certainly not a type of product nor an
intangible service, but rather the psychological reason of why people do what they
do…and in this case, why people buy when they buy. Here are 3 tips that will help you
to achieve your “selling” goals.

1. In order to sell effectively, you need to demonstrate a reason for your customer to
buy. Why do they need your professional opinion and advice on how best to
structure their corporate affairs? Will you save them money and taxes, and
perhaps mitigate the risk of an unpleasant audit?

2. Once you have demonstrated the need, you need to be persistent in pursuing it.
Many studies have shown that buyers often say “no” on a number of occasions,
without really meaning “no” at all. In fact the buyer is often signaling you that they
need further emotional support in order to logically justify their decision to solve the
problem that you have uncovered and presented solutions for. So…donʼt give up
at the first opportunity to quit…press on and see where things go. Worst
case…they will still say “no”. However, they may say “yes”! A good car
salesperson will provide many opportunities for the buyer to buy…and so should
you.

3. Many, many, many people never bother to follow-up on those that they meet. A
simple email or handwritten note following a meeting thanking your customer for
their time is light-years beyond what your competition is doing. Likewise,
remembering what you covered during your last conversation and touching on it
again reinforces that you care about your client, and that what they have been
saying is important to you. This is also a great way to reiterate what you “taught
them” last time about the problem they have and your solution for it.

So…as Harrison says…donʼt give up, and watch your positive results soar as a result.

Happy selling!

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This is a very simple concept but may businesses struggle to consistently achieve it.

In our Business Consulting practice we work with many clients who truly value service.

What does “truly valuing service” really look like?

I was speaking with a Business Associate of mine and he commented that he recently purchased a very high-end truck. (I will keep the Brand of the truck out of this Blog, as this may have been an isolated incident)

His truck required warranty work.  After the dealership did testing on the vehicle they determined that nothing was wrong.  (The truck didn’t have the same problem that the client experienced a week or two ago)  While the vehicle was under full warranty, the dealership proceeded to charge him for their time.  While the bill was only $400, the impact on their decision to do this with a $65,000 truck could have signifcant impact.

In my observations, this happens way too often.  The team members within a respective business lose connection with one another. While the Sales Rep. knows the client very well, no other member of the Service Dept. has any form of connection with the client. This is often why we tend to call our Sales Rep.  “We had connection with them.”

The Sales Representative holds the clients hand every step of the way, but “after sales” service can be a totally different story.

In your business, be mindful of what message you are conveying to your service team.  Do you want this customer for the next 5, 10 years, or a lifetime?  Simple actions to get all of your team thinking this way can make a big difference in the long run.

While I am not suggesting you waive fees or never charge a client, sometimes the perception of what decisions you make, regardless of the size of the bill can have significant long term impact with your client and their relationship with your business.

Mike Mack, MBA  Business Strategist  X5 Management Inc.

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How Building and Keeping Relationships Are Virtues Greater than Patience

Like. Respect. Trust.

This mantra, during my first phone conversation with Mike Mack, was mentioned more than once, as most of you can likely imagine…

I can’t recall the number of times he had repeated it over the last year we have known each other or worked together.

But slowly, it’s made its way into my mind, and the results have been immense.

As a lifelong entrepreneur, I have undergone the succession process with an old business, and the difficulty of passing it on to people I didn’t completely like or trust made selling my business a regret that I continue to live with.

As I think about this mantra, I can pick out several experiences in my business career that could have been greatly improved had I understood the power that comes with LRT.

How does LRT work?

In my new business, it has become easy to embody my like-ability. I love my work, I love what I do, and I have a big personality that I am happy to share with anyone willing to listen.

But the respect and trust elements demand that I be a steward of my friends’ and clients’ needs, and I need to remain an active listener for their less obvious needs and challenges that come up.

This can only come with time and experience, and some of the most amazing conversations that my clients and I have had together began with me asking, “So how can I help you?” right after the meal is ordered.

Knowing that I might be able to help a business friend before they become a client is a very powerful feeling, and it wasn’t made clear to me how much it builds respect until recently.

It builds respect from the friend, respect from the vendor, and respect from the community over time.

Slow and Steady

By building this respect and rapport up, one person at a time, I build a deepened trust with many people, not by words, not by personality, but by duty—and commitment.

“Trust that is built slowly is built much more strongly,” my grandmother always used to say. She has a million aphorisms that I have still not completely unpacked with such deceivingly simple words. (I am forever in awe of the wise.)

But the truth about trust is just that. It requires self monitoring and reservation. People who rush to try and gain your trust stand out, and they lose credibility quickly.

I never try to offer the world to new friends or new clients. I take it slowly, and I respect myself more for being reserved about it.

And this, for me, has been one of the most powerful aspects of LRT, that they work inward even as you direct your actions outward.

I would really like to hear more about how LRT has affected you, and how your experiences have influenced your LRT in business and life. Please comment below!

Guest Post written by: Idris Fashan
Red Paper Clip Writing Company
www.redpaperclip.ca

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Written by: Mike Melenberg, BA Design Technician, Mechanical
(Arrow Engineering Inc.)

Greg Burghardt, president of Arrow Engineering Inc., started the company with two partners and a handful of dedicated employees nearly six years ago. Their small office’s initial offerings were mechanical and civil engineering consultation for the built industry. The company was started, however, to be more than “just another company.” It was Greg’s personal intention to build a company that would “be the best.” Greg had envisioned that Arrow would be “a fabulous employer that provides its employees with the best possible career experience.” When he said this, he had the livelihood of every current and future Arrow employee in mind and thus began a culture that continues to play an intricate part in Arrow’s organic growth. The leadership team at Arrow knows that by treating their employees with abundant care and respect that Arrow’s clients will be treated with the same care and respect.

The employees at Arrow will tell you that the leadership team cares for its employees by going beyond the typical monetary incentives. They sponsor a plethora of events that create opportunities for everyone to spend quality time together. These events are typically attended by a vast majority of employees and have included activities such as camping, snowmobiling, go-karting, and boating, to name a few.

Despite an uncertain economy, Arrow has continued to grow but they haven’t grown for the sake of growing. Instead they have grown to meet the demands of their clients. Companies, such as Arrow, have been able to foster organic growth.

Like a potted plant, Arrow’s leadership nurtures the roots (employees) and the plant (company) grows, which has led to the plant outgrowing its pot (office space) several times. Once Arrow recognizes the potential for growth, it becomes very planned and calculated so as to maintain the culture and the high level of client satisfaction. Currently, Arrow has expanded its operations to include four disciplines (Mechanical, Electrical, Civil, and Automation & Commissioning) in two locations (Edmonton and Saskatoon). About fifty employees work together seamlessly to produce reliable results and exceed the expectations of their clients. Arrow’s recipe for success has produced profitability in each year of operation, and strong growth which has averaged over 40% per year with last year’s number coming in around the 70% mark. As well, it maintains turnover rates around 3% – significantly below industry averages. Arrow’s strong, positive culture is the driving force that will move the company on its journey to achieve its vision to be… “The Recognized Leader—a progressive ‘go to’ company for innovative and responsible engineering solutions.”

For more information on Arrow Engineering visit them online at: www.arrowonline.ca.

Greg Burghardt has been a friend of mine for a number of years and I have always admired the success journey of Arrow Engineering and I wanted to share the story with other business leaders. A great message from a great company with organic growth. Mike Mack, MBA Business Strategist X5 Management

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In business, we see many different angles on this thought.

As business owners or sales professionals we all have to generate sales and revenue.

There are many companies that have instilled the culture to “always be closing” (ABC).  They sometimes push and prod until we agree or get annoyed.

Many leading companies seem to have a strategic ability to create awareness of the benefits of their products and services and get us excited about wanting the product or service.  To me this is (ABM) , or “always be marketing”.  Apple does this very well.  They create products that make us want to buy.  When you go to an Apple store, you are likely going with the intent to actually buy something.  When you arrive, all team members are there to help you and answer any questions you have about a particular product.

This is not always the case with many businesses or sales professionals.  Yes, I agree that not all businesses are in the same position as Apple, but even Apple had to start somewhere.  People had to believe in the product and trust that it would fill a need. 

I can think back 10-15 years ago and going through many sales training programs.  How to close a sale was critical and lots of focus was given in that area of the sales process.

My philosophy on this has changed alot over the years.  In our own business and when we support sales teams through sales coaching, it is more about “seeking to understand” what the customer really wants and needs and asking questions to gain more clarity.  It is about building relationships and trust, before earning the right to “close a sale”.

As I see it, the more you focus on the customer and less on you needing to close a sale, the more likely it is that you will gain the customers business.  It’s not always fast, but it is effective!  What is their pain?  What do they want?  What do they really need?  If you can address those areas, you may gain a new customer.

“ABM” is a constant.   We must “always be marketing” and create awareness of what we do, how we do it and ideally why we do what we do.  The right customers will respond to this approach more times than not.

Written by: Mike Mack,MBA Business Strategist X5 Management

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