Managing Multiple Priorities and Deadlines

This course on Managing Multiple Priorities and Deadlines focuses on the skills, tools and techniques that lead to effective time and priority management.

Learning Objectives

• Learn how to develop a robust prioritization strategy
• Gain strategies for identifying and conquering the major “time stealers”
• Improve communication with others to increase productivity
• Understand the importance of setting and achieving professional goals
• Learn how to analyses activities to effectively prioritize
• Gain strategies for beating procrastination
• Acquire strategies for getting the most out of meetings
• Understand techniques for effectively managing all the different demands on time

Course Outline

Introduction to tasks in a business environment

• • Role of self-management in managing tasks
  • Overview of task management
    • The task PTTR lifecycle
    • Task management principles
  • Task management and the business environment
  • Organizational perspective on work accomplishment
    • Building value mindset in every task
  • Impact of company strategy on task management
  • Role of organizational structures in getting tasks done

Importance of planning in task management

• • Managerial functions and tasks
  • Task management skills
  • Dealing with task constraints
  • Goals, objectives and tasks
    • From SMART objectives to SMART tasks
  • Scopes of work and task assignments
  • Identifying and managing task stakeholders
  • Task related risks

Setting task priorities and deadlines 

• • How we deal with tasks – an assessment
  • Task management and work
  • Planning, scheduling and meeting deadlines
  • Task management and the development of priorities
  • Managing meetings, e-mails, and interruptions
  • ‘To do’ lists and managing priorities
  • Time wasters, procrastination and immediate demands
  • Tasks and automation
  • Task management and stress​

Tasks and shared responsibilities

• • Skills needed when assistance is needed
  • The four rights of delegation
  • Working effectively with others
  • Interpersonal skills and task accomplishment
  • Personal work styles and task accomplishment
  • Flexibility and versatility
  • Improving task productivity

Changing tasks effectively

• • Improving task learning and understanding
  • Communicating changes to task assignments
  • Employee reactions to changes in task assignments
    • The importance of engagement and ownership
  • Overcoming natural resistance to changing tasks
  • Managing changes to tasks effectively
  • Personal plans and self-management