Setting priorities

Are you prioritizing properly?  When a leader expresses to me that they are not meeting goals or their organization isn't running efficiently, I inquire about their priorities.  Why?  Because what we spend time on and what we focus on is what gets done and what succeeds.

We have a tendency to set the wrong priorities because some tasks are simpler.  These simple tasks are a wanted distraction from the tougher, more complex issues. And we justify setting the wrong priorities because we are "getting things done".  That's what I call "busy work".  More than likely you have a great employee that can handle the busy work so that you can focus on the big picture items for your organization.  How do you know if you are setting the right priorities?  Ask yourself the following questions:

1. Have I conducted a needs assessment within the last year?
2. Have I determined the organization's goals based on a needs assessment?
3. Are the goals that I have set targeted and specific?
4. Are the tasks or projects that I am working on aligned to the organization's goals?
5. Am I handling tasks or projects that can be delegated to someone else?

A leader's time is valuable so it is important to properly set priorities so your time is not wasted!  

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