Pursue simple, resolve efficiency low problems
At present, Bill Jensen, president of Jensen Group, Jensen Group, is currently in 1992, continues to conduct a research survey called "The Search for Simpler Way", Long-term observation of the work mode of the employee employee, explores the reason for the excessive operation and low efficiency. The initial investigation includes 2,500 people from 460 companies that have continued to 1,000 companies, with a number of people reached 350,000, including Bank of America, Citibank, Merck ( Merck), a well-known large enterprise such as Disney (Walt Disney).
In 2001, Jensen published the first book "Simplicity", and the listing immediately boarded the best-selling list of New York Times (New York Times), causing a warm resonance. In November this year, he once again launched the latest book "The Simplicity Survival Handbook", which has been recommended by the Publishers Weekly.
This time Jensen uses the "simple" concept to daily work. According to his years of research survey, modern people have become the most important reason why the work is not efficient is "lack of focus." Because it is not clear, it is always wasting time repeatedly do the same thing or unnecessary things; missing key messages, waste too much time on unimported messages; caution, you must repeatedly communicate the same one Thing.
"Do less, not to push things to others or escape responsibility, but when you focus on the focus, you will naturally spend less strength, get better results," Jensen said this in receiving the latest "Fast Company" magazine. In other words, the target is clear, master the focus, and communicate, it is a simple manner that is simple.
Here we sort out 10 most practical methods, provide you with reference.
1. Ask the goals and requirements of the work, avoid repeating the opportunity to reduce errors
Usually, you don't know what you should do: What impact does this goal do you have for your work? What is this goal for your meaning? When you get all the questions, start working.
You must clarify the questions including:
- What changes have I have to do now?
The goal is clear that the other party will explain the company's goals or strategies, but what this goal is what is the meaning of your company, what is the association between the company's goals and your personal goals? If the boss re-sets the company's operational strategy and goals in the coming year, you can ask: "What adjustments should I do? Is there any need to change now?"
For example, if the company is expected to increase the turnover of 10%, what kind of department goals must be achieved or the individual sales must reach how much performance can be completed the company's overall goal.
- Can I suggest me, which place begins?
What you have to know is not a matter of work details, but to determine the rough direction and priority. For example, you should confirm what matters can begin to start subsequent jobs; which things should be ranked in order to avoid changes in other processes, and how to coordinate and integrate between the various processes.
- What should I pay attention to, avoid affecting the target?
You can seek suggestions in the supervisor, what is wrong or negligent in the process, how to avoid it; according to past experience, what is expected to be pre-prepared. This can greatly reduce unnecessary error attempts, which is certainly more successful opportunities. - What are the tools and resources available?
You should first understand which existing resources can be applied, you can seek which support can be more effective in planning your own time and working progress.
2. Know how to reject others, do not let extra demands to disturb their work progress
For many people, rejecting others' requirements seem to be a difficult thing, you are always worried:
Will it be lost?
- Is the friendship between my and colleagues?
- Is the boss acceptable?
Rejected skills are very important workplace communication skills. Only you know your work, you must be responsible for yourself, manage your time and work, should not let others' extra requirements, let yourself fall into a busy situation.
When you decide that you should not promise the other party's request, you should ask yourself first: "What do I want to do? Or do you want to do? What is the best for me?" You have to consider, if you agree, if you agree, if you promise each other Whether it will affect existing work schedules, and because your delay affects others? And if you agree, is it really the goal of the other party?
Once you have decisions, what should I refuse? If it is more familiar with colleagues, friends, or people who don't know all, it is best to say: "Sorry, I can't help," or "I am really busy, I can't take time." Don't have more lip tongues, you don't need to explain a bunch of reasons, as long as you are a simple or two sentences. And you must go directly in the moment, don't delay for one or two, say your decision. Don't consider too much, the valuable time should cost another situation mentioned below.
If it is a customer or other departmental colleague who is more unfold, it should take a comparative indirect euphemistic approach. The problem you have to consider is: How do you respond to better relationships and build a foundation for future cooperation?
First, you have to explain why you can't agree and indicate your apologies. Then, the most important thing is to help each other to find another better solution, is it possible to find other people help. Let the other party think that you are not shocked, but really want to help him solve the problem.
At this time, the answer is no longer "Yes" with "No", but the process of communicating with the dialogue. You are not rejected, but a way to communicate with each other. The process of communication also allows the other party to understand your actual work, and will not find you without any reason, ask your help.
3. Actively remind the boss to schedule priority, which can greatly reduce the burden of work
"The work of your hand is not finished, and you will lose it to me." But is there any problem with you? Do you have any appropriate response? If you don't say it, the boss will think that you have time to do so much. Moreover, he may not remember how much work has been confessed before. The boss actually needs to be reminded.
You certainly impossible for so many work at the same time, why don't you take the initiative to help the boss's priority. You don't do it, but everything is before. You can measure which work can bring maximum benefits for the company, you must prioritize. Then list what work in your hand is in progress, which support is required to be completed within the time limit.
When you are ready to prepare, then start with the boss, you can ask: "Which three goals must be reached in the next few days or in a few weeks?" Or told him directly: "I have already scheided it first. Work projects should be done priority in the next few days, want to hear your suggestions? "In short, put the short-term completed, and you have the ability to complete the project. This not only reduces your work burden, but also reminds the boss to let him know your actual workload. Finally, reminded that during the discussion, it must stand in the position of the supervisor, and understand the pressure he faces. What you should do is to help the supervisor to solve the problem, rather than pushing the question to the supervisor. Of course, you should not withstand your own problems.
4. There must be your own point of view when reporting, just make the boss feel satisfied with a small amount of information.
When most people report to the supervisor or the boss, I always worry about not enough information. The study conducted by John Weaver has shown that 10% to 15% will have fearful psychology in the face of the boss, and if the information is not enough to report to the boss, the number of people who feel fear is also More.
In fact, this concerns are redundant. Too many information will have no focus. If there is a lack of explanation, there is no help to the boss. "The content is streamlined, the main points, the most important thing is to help me make a quick decision," This is the unanimous conclusion that Jensen visits a number of senior supervisors for the content of the presentation.
What you have to do is to use important information or data to explain, you must have your own point of view, not ambiguous. If you are a boss, what kind of decision you will do: When is the best time for new products listed? Don't you follow the price reduction of competitors, or to make it against the trend?
In addition, when reporting to the boss, you must be accurately controlled, you have to be psychologically prepared, must be interrupted during the report, the boss may have to pick up a call, or put a number of problems, it takes time to explain discuss. So, if you have a 30-minute time, as long as you need a 10-minute report content, you can not only avoid time, but you can save more time for your boss, you can show your work efficiency.
If the theme of the report is about long-term planning, remember: the past and the future 90 days are the most important. If you want to make a presentation of 10 pages, the annual plan of the next year, the next 90-day plan should account for 9 pages, and need to explain in detail, as long as one of the remaining parts.
In addition, if you want to get support from the boss, you must be clear and straightforward, and it is concise. Don't let the boss feel that you just want to be lazy, push the responsibility to the boss. For example, if you want the boss to support your proposal, you should list the completed work items, which will then ask the boss to assist in the next 30 to 60 days: For example, which meetings should be taken to participate in the conference What are the personnel who need public to announce what matters to all employees.
5. Increase the opportunity to increase interaction during the presentation, shorten the contents of the presentation and the report of the report
The invention of PowerPoint allows us to have more convenient communication tools, but in fact, there is a lot of working hours. Every year, the number of presentations made in every year is constantly increasing, and the time to make a presentation is not reduced. In Jensen's research survey, the highest record is that a 25-minute agenda has a total of 108 pages of PowerPoint. How many people can remember the content of 108?
A good presentation must have an influence and change the decision of the other party. When making a presentation, we often forget the existence of the audience. The truly successful presentation is to clear and correct communication, create a chance to communicate and dialogue, so that the other party changes thinking, decision, or action because of your presentation content. Therefore, the focus is not in the presentation, but the quality of communication. You are not just a "report", but to trigger a two-way dialogue, trying to affect the other party. Before doing any presentation, you must think about the following three principles:
- What kind of key points do you want to remember after listening to the presentation?
What kind of feelings will there be?
- What decision you want to have after listening to the presentation?
Next is the actual production problem. The best starting method is to convert the audience to the question, which can not only attract the attention of the audience, but also sharply reduce your work burden. The process of the presentation should not only speak alone, ask questions, let you have an opportunity to interact with the audience. In this way, 50 minutes of agenda you only need to prepare for a 30-minute presentation, and the rest should be interacting with the audience.
For example, when interpreting product strategy, it is not the first point, second point, third point ..., but a question: What benefits are our products? What changes can you bring for your department?
Every presentation must have a page of content summary, not to list the key points of the report, but a brief description of the most important message to be conveyed by this report. In addition, a page is a focus, so that they can impress them, and really think about what you said. Excessive messages will only make the audience feel boring, and even if you can't remember something, it is equal to a failed presentation.
6. Effective filtering mail, let your attention are concentrated on the most important message
Email and real-time communication technology are a kind of happiness, which is also a curse. Because of it, you can see the world, because it, you are messy, no focus, unnecessary messages are drowning. What you should do is to know when to turn off your virtual communication.
The Gartner Research Company (Gartner Research) believes that modern people are unavoidable to fall into the so-called "pervasive connection" (Pervasive Connectivity), which makes everyone can come into contact with you at any time. Not only emails, including mobile phones, real-time newsletters, etc. These technology let us communicate in real time, we naturally feel that you must always find it, you must respond to everything, you must complete everything immediately. Everyone works excessive expectation because of this unrealistic expectation and excessive consumption.
The flood of spam may be one of the reasons, but more importantly, we don't know how to use objective standards to quickly and effectively filter and edit a lot of information, spend too much time in unimported letters, truly need you to pay attention It was omissible.
The correct filtration process, the first step is to first see the letter of letters and senders. If you don't make you feel that today is not seeing, you can delete it directly. This can at least delete 50% of mail.
The second step began to quickly browse the remaining letters content unless the content of the letter is related to the recent (for example, 2 weeks) you must complete, otherwise it can be deleted. This allows you to delete 25% of letters.
The time spent in the first two steps should not exceed 10 minutes. Now your mailbox should have only 25% of letters, but do not mean that you must all keep 25% of letters left. You must judge this letter:
- Is there related to your current work content?
- Is there anything you have to do?
- Is there any target that should be reached?
- Is there a list of resources that can be used
If you do not meet the above conditions, you will directly delete or reply to the sender, and ask the other party to reply to the above questions as soon as possible.
After three stages of the above, you should be able to delete 90% of letters. 7. Mail content as much as possible, saving time and increases the opportunity to respond to each other
"The most easy to read, understand, and reply, the most attractive attention." This is the answer to the email usage when Jensen is conducting a "simple" research plan.
Everyone's time and attention is limited, and more integrated emails, but also can save their own time, but also attract the attention of the recipient, improve the chance of response, otherwise your email will become The other party 90% delete list. You must take the smallest space, the least text, pass the most, the most important message, and must be more readable, save each other's time.
how should I do it? The text of the letter must be limited to a spatial range of 3 × 5 inches, which is approximately a picture. Why is this number? Because for those who receive messages, such space allows them to quickly browse all content 2 to 3 seconds, and do not need scroll.
How do you use this limited space to write an email?
- Each email is about 8 to 12 sentences.
- More than 20 words should be wrapped.
- If you exceed 3 lines, you must be blank.
8. When there is no communication, don't waste time want to change
The head of the supervisor usually has the following five possible answers:
- Full agree: "I fully agree with you, and I will support you."
- Agree: "I don't fully agree, but I believe in your judgment."
- Not as: "I don't agree with you, the reason is ... but thank you for your opinion."
- Disagree: "Take my way."
- I don't agree with: "I will never allow such ideas, and other people are not allowed to have this idea."
If you find that in the process of communication, the supervisor's answer is mostly the first three situations, saying that this supervisor can communicate, willing to accept the idea of others. If you belong to the last two cases, he represents that he is not easy to communicate. Always can't listen to others, impulsive make decisions, don't want to reflect, just for personal interests or powers ... no matter what kind of ideas or opinions you have, every time I have a closed door.
If you really encounter such a supervisor, you don't have to communicate at all, you don't have to waste time or spirit to do an unobstructed communication or try to change. At this time, you have to make a choice. If you accept such a working environment, everything is only doing things in accordance with the competent opinions; or you like your own space. This is the problem of choice, there is nothing to do with bad. You can have the following practices:
- Smile nod. You have decided that all energy will not be put into this company, only this is a job, you can do a good job. This job is not a very important part of your life, you would rather spend more time in the family or my own interest.
- Seeking other voices. You still believe this company, and think that this is a good working environment, just encountered a bad supervisor. So you also want to do some efforts: Have other pipes in the company to make your ideas or suggest that the company is listened by the company or higher order, such as all employee congresses.
- Prepare to convert the runway. You already know that the problem is unable to solve, maybe this company is unwilling to solve, or lack of sound systems and pipelines, then you should be discontinued and convert new environments.
9. Just achieve trust, do not need repeated communication, you can also win the resources you want.
Under the pressure of operating costs, you should strive to get more resources to your company, but it is not a simple matter. Especially the problem of encountering money, things seem to become more complicated. Even if there are countless discussions or precise calculations, the successful opportunity is less.
However, in many hours, it is not only about the problem of money, it is a problem with the problem of interpersonal relationship and trust. If the boss trust you can really solve the problem, create interests for the company, naturally you can get the budget you want. But if he doesn't have enough trust in you, even if there is any more surplus or just a small budget, it is difficult. Don't just see the money, if you have been falling into a digital game, the situation is always unfavorable. Companies must face harsh economic stress, always hope to use less money to create more.
The boss's trust in you comes from you to solve the problem. So you have to think from different angles: What is the most painful problem for your boss?
- Unable to be done according to the original plan.
- Unable to control the situation, it is uncertain to the future.
- I hope that employees can do more and reduce more costs.
When you fight for budget, you must first want to know the problem that the boss may worry, as your convincing reason, this is the most effective. For example, "If two people will increase, only 6 weeks will be done in accordance with the scheduled plan."
Moreover, don't just emphasize your unit or departmental demand, your purpose of your budget is to help the boss to solve the problem and achieve goals. So, your focus is the problem worried about the boss, not the budget number.
When you first put forward the requirements, the most important thing is to let the boss understand your proposal, the clearer, the severity, preferably not more than 15 minutes. Don't do much budget that you need directly on the first proposal, so usually there will be no too high success. Your goal should be a chance to have a second discussion. If the boss is willing to discuss the budget again, usually the success will be up to 80%.
10. Focus on the work itself, not the name of performance evaluation, can really have a good performance
The performance evaluation is good, and each of us should always know how his work performance is. Only most of the business is that performance evaluation is excessive, there are various names, and complex calculations. The supervisor does not have enough time to do an in-depth evaluation, and finally it is a digital game.
The real goal of the company is to expand control, reduce costs, and performance evaluation system to make companies have legitimate excuses to remove unforgettable employees. In order to keep your work, employees just want to make your own achievements look good.
In fact, you don't have to spend your spirit on these digital games. Don't make your own foreign language skills today, you start our own expenses; a day company decided to join the application of proposal plans, you have started trouble How to do. This will only make you tired, but the result is an right.
It is necessary to have a good performance, your starting point is the work itself, not the performance evaluation. As long as you think the following questions: How do you do this? Do you have to strengthen what is your ability? When you have successfully completed the goals, there is a specific results, naturally have good results. There are only two things you have to do:
- Inquiry your supervisor at least every month: "How do I do?" Try to make specific problems, such as "the boss has any opinions on the progress I am planned?" "I want the conference process very smooth, you think you think Is there any place to improve? "
You should communicate your own performance at any time, instead of only a year's performance evaluation, so you can know where your shortcomings are in advance, make corrections in time, and you can understand the expectations of the supervisor.
- Inquiry at least every month: "Is there any necessary adjustment in the original work arrangement?" Maybe your goal is in the beginning of the year, even the end of the year, but the external environment has changed, The target potential is bound to make adjustments, so it should be confirmed to confirm what is the most priority target.
