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From the President:
Hello to all of our much appreciated clients, prospects and friends. When we first started Fusion Associates 4 years ago we had expected our clients to select a fairly even distribution of adventure based activities, experiential learning programs, content-rich workshops, new team start-ups and team interventions. We had expected to deliver proportionately fewer motivating and fun events.
As it turns out, we have delivered more motivating and fun events than anticipated. This is a good thing. After all, it was Plato who said, "You learn more about a person in an hour of play than you do in a day of conversation." This knowledge helps in the process of moving teams from low performing to high performing more quickly.
This happens because "playing" together provides people an opportunity to experience their colleagues in an environment that allows everyone to let their guard down long enough for others to appreciate them as individuals rather than co-workers. This helps establish trust and allows for better communications, two important qualities of high performance teams.
So hats off to having fun while at the same time building strong teams!
We have dedicated this issue to time management. So without any further ado, let's get on with it.
Best regards,
Peter Warren
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TOP 10
Signs You've Been in Corporate America Too Long
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10. You decide to re-organize your family into a "team-based organization"
9. You refer to dating as test marketing
8. You can spell "paradigm"
7. You actually know what a paradigm is
6. You write executive summaries on your love letters
5. Your Valentine's Day cards have bullet points
4. You celebrate your wedding anniversary by conducting a performance review
3. You believe you never have any problems in your life, just "issues" and "improvement opportunities"
2. You can explain to somebody the difference between "re-engineering," "down-sizing," "right-sizing," and "firing people"
1. You use the term "value-added" without laughing
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Featured Event: Corporate Masterpiece
The question has always been - Are people more or less creative when under the pressure of a ticking clock? One way to determine the answer is for your group is to experience the phenomenon called Corporate Masterpiece.
Your group will have a limited amount of time to recreate a famous work of art. Your selected painting is enlarged into a giant reproduction and divided into equal canvas sections.
The group is divided into teams. Each team is responsible for one section of the painting. No one knows the painting they will be reproducing or what it looks like. They will soon come to realize that a cooperative approach will be the only way to achieve their own corporate masterpiece - one worthy of display in the reception area of your company. It's about collaboration and communication! The end result is admired by all!
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Tips to Managing Your Time
Are you stressing out over not being able to get to the bottom of the pile on your desk? Not enough time in the day is one of the biggest complaints in the work place. Stop wasting your time getting frazzled and sit back and assess the situation. Switch your focus from how to get more time, to how to use your time more effectively. Keep your sanity and try these 8 tips. Once you get the formula just right you might even be able to leave the office less stressed and make it home for dinner on time.
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1
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Checklist or top priorities list - Preparing a checklist the day before or at the start of the day will keep you on track and focused on accomplishing your goals. |
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Get organized - Organize your filing system so they are easier to work with. Files are supposed help keep you organized-not confuse you. |
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Time limits for tasks - Setting time limits may help with keeping your focus. Remember to be reasonable. |
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Assign times for specific items - Checking emails, phone calls, meetings, uninterrupted time, etc… |
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Closed door policy - Well maybe not all the time, but some of the time. Let co-workers know that between certain times you will not be available. |
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Find a quiet place - If you're having trouble avoiding interruptions find a conference or work room you can use to get some work done. Sometimes going M.I.A. is the way to go. |
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Controlling drop-ins - Keep conversations brief and on track. Ask how you can help, if you're pressed for time kindly let them know you will meet with them at such and such time to discuss this further. |
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Just say no - Don't commit to more than you can handle. Apologize and let co-workers know you can help out when you have less projects on your plate. |
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Time Management Quiz
See how well you manage time with this quick health quiz. Good time management skills can help you feel less stressed and more in control.
1. You answer emails:
A. Whenever they arrive
B. If they're from friends
C. At a set time each day
2. When people drop into your workspace and interrupt, you:
A. Are always glad for the distraction
B. Answer their queries but feel resentful
C. Have strategies for keeping the visit short
3. You get out of the office for lunch:
A. You can't remember the last time
B. Twice a week
C. Every day
4. How many times do you handle a piece of paper before you deal with it?
A. 5-6 times
B. 2-3 times
C. Once
5. You use a 'to do' list:
A. Never
B. When you need to be reminded of something
C. Every day
6. When your boss asks you to do something that competes with another of your work priorities, you:
A. Grin and bear it
B. Do it, but take your time
C. Point out that there's something else that conflicts with it
7. How many hours do you spend a week on cultural activities, hobbies, leisure, and socializing with friends?
A. 3 hours or less
B. 4-6 hours
C. 10 or more hours
8. You set aside thinking or planning time each day:
A. Never
B. When I remember
C. Always
9. You decide what to do each day according to:
A. Who is complaining loudest
B. Whatever arrives in your in tray
C. The work plan that you've developed for the week
10. You work best:
A. When the deadline is nearly on you
B. Just before knock off time
C. During the hours of the day that you know are your most productive
Tallying up: A = 1 B = 2 C = 3
Score 10 to 15: Your time management style is best described as managing chaos. You feel constantly under pressure and that there aren't enough hours in the day. Start by prioritizing tasks and allocating regular time to work on longer term projects instead of leaving things to the last minute and selling yourself short. This will not only help you to be more effective and efficient but will help you take control and feel better about yourself.
Score 16 to 23: Taking steps to protect your time will help you to feel more motivated and in control of your work. Be more assertive when people around you make extra demands on you and use your leisure hours to refresh and relax.
Score 24 to 30: You get the most out of your time. You are skillful at managing short and longer term projects, you prioritize well, and you enjoy a healthy mix of work and play. See if there's anyone out there in your work team who could benefit from your time management skills.
*This quiz and more information are available at:
www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au
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Book Spotlight:
The Now Habit by Neil Fiore
Book Description: Author Neil Fiore offers the first comprehensive strategy to overcome the causes of procrastination and to eliminate its deleterious effects. His techniques will help any busy person get more things done more quickly, without the anxiety and stress brought on by failure to meet the workplace's pressing deadlines. This revised, redesigned edition includes a new introduction and a section that provides strategies to understand and deal with the complex role technology plays in procrastination today.
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| This book and book review available at
www.amazon.com |
Review: This is a book that actually teaches you to understand yourself, to take care of yourself, and to help yourself develop simple habits that can change your life. This is truly an easy and non-scary program, proving that you don't have to turn your life upside down to turn it around! The words in this book have stayed with me for years, and I carry a little card with reminders from it in my wallet. This program works. Believe me - I learned medicine thirty minutes at a time! And, most importantly, I had lots of time left over for fun.
Do you have a book you would like to recommend related to the work place that you thought was great? Send us an email
Mary Beth with a short review and we will pass on the word in a future issue!
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Meeting Planning 101
Planning a meeting may seem easy enough, but how many meetings have we all been apart of that just didn't seem organized or to get anywhere? Here are some simple and basic tips to follow to ensure a productive and successful meeting. Good luck!
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Follow a detailed agenda - Prioritize items on the agenda along with appropriate speakers. Setting time frames within the agenda for topics might also be helpful.
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Start on time and end on time - Don't wait for stragglers and don't stop to give an update on everything that has already been covered for late comers.
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Distribute meeting handouts prior to meeting- Giving a heads up by handing out meeting materials in advance will better prepare participants for meetings and turn reading time into constructive discussion time.
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Food for thought - Think of providing food at meetings as an icebreaker-especially longer meetings. The atmosphere becomes more relaxed and it puts co-workers at ease. This positive energy can only help during a meeting and you may find that participants are more receptive and involved.
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Stay within the topic - Don't go off on a tangent. If it happens bring the group back to the focus and let them know that the new topic can be discussed at another time." Stay within the topic - Don't go off on a tangent. If it happens bring the group back to the focus and let them know that the new topic can be discussed at another time.
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Take action / Mind your minutes - Have someone (not running the meeting) take notes on all topics discussed and all action steps, including who will be responsible for each assigned tasks/actions. Soon after the meeting (preferably within 24 hours), distribute the meeting minutes either by hard copy or email. Taking quick action by providing this will encourage others not to drop the ball and be reminded of what is expected and what has already been accomplished.
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Stay Energized at Work
Lack of energy while at work can really make the day go by a lot slower. We've all have had one of those days where we feel so sluggish it affects our work and everything we do that day. This lack of energy can be contributed to various reasons-lack of sleep, stress, burn out, poor diet, or a combination of these and other things. Below are some tips that may help get you by and get back to normal.
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No skipping meals - Starting your day off with breakfast everyday is important, but continue this effort consistently by not skipping any meals throughout the day. Food is the body's fuel and because it is make sure you pay attention to the type of fuel you put in your body. For example, foods and drinks high in sugar (candy bars, sodas, etc.) can give you a quick sugar boost, but that same sugar can leave you more drained later on if you go overboard. Also, refrain from late night meals and snacks.
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Get enough sleep - The most obvious is a good night's sleep. Sleep deprivation can not only affect your metabolism, but also your eating habits and sharpness. So rather than falling asleep at your desk, work on getting at least 8 hours of sleep every night.
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Caffeine in moderation - Coffee, tea, and sodas are often turned to for caffeine fixes when a little "pick me up" is needed, but know your limit! Caffeine can stay in your system between 3-8 hours-so make sure you take your last bit early enough so it doesn't affect your sleep.
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Take a nap - 15-20 minute naps during the day can leave you feeling re-energized or at least not as depleted. If you find the time within your day (maybe at lunchtime), try it out and see if it works for you. However, be careful with long naps. Longer naps can find you waking up if not just as tired, more sluggish.
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Fallen Phrases
Quote of the quarter
INSTRUCTIONS: Place the letters below, one in each box in the column directly above it, to complete the phrase.
Answer will be in the next Fusion Newsletter!
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| Click puzzle for full size image. |
Answer to Issue 2 puzzle: One man can be a crucial ingredient on a team, but one man cannot be a team. - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar -
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