Posts Tagged ‘time management’

I’m too busy to plan!

Posted: October 3, 2016 in Readiness & Strategy
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Monday Stand To! by Richard Martin
Expert in Readiness and Exploiting Change
We’ve all heard that refrain before. And it makes absolutely NO SENSE! If you find you have no time to plan, then you have to MAKE IT.
I’ve been discussing the steps of the Business Readiness Process I’ve devised, based on military readiness for operations and battle.
We’re at Step 2 of the BRP…

Preliminary Assessment of Time and Tasks

You must identify and assess the tasks and time required to complete them before you are ready to launch execution of your mission.
  • Start at the end: When must you kick off the execution of your mission, strategy, operation?
  • What tasks must be accomplished before you can successfully launch? List EVERYTHING you can think of. You can ask for advice from your team and colleagues. You can also create and refer to a standardized list.
  • How long does each preparation task take?
  • What tasks can be delegated and executed concurrently while you do your reconnaissance, estimate, and planning?
  • What is the sequence of events, including parallel tasks and activities?
At the very least, you should include items 3 to 10 of the BRP.
Business Readiness Process (BRP)
1.     Ensure vigilance through situational awareness.
2. Do preliminary assessment of tasks and time.
3.     Activate organization or team.
4.     Conduct reconnaissance.
5.     Do detailed situational estimate.
6.     Conduct wargame and decide on optimal course(s) of action.
7.     Perform risk management and contingency planning.
8.     Communicate plan and issue direction.
9.     Build organizational robustness.
10.   Ensure operational continuity.
11.   Lead and control execution.
12.   Assess performance.
Did you know that an infantry battalion only needs about 3 to 4 hours of prep and planning time to be battle ready? What are you waiting for to get the same benefits for your outfit?
Feel free to contact me at any time to discuss your objectives and needs.
And remember… STAND TO!!!

My name is Richard Martin and I’m an expert on applying readiness principles to position companies and leaders to grow and thrive by shaping and exploiting change and opportunity, instead of just passively succumbing to uncertainty and risk.

© 2016 Alcera Consulting Inc. This article may be used for non-commercial use with proper attribution.

Start with the end in mind when scheduling and planning tasks

Posted: April 28, 2014 in Readiness & Strategy
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Military leaders are taught to conduct time estimates to support their planning and decision-making. I often use this when I’m working with clients to identify key milestones and develop project plans. I call it “reverse time estimation.” Here are the steps to follow:

1.List all tasks and activities that must be accomplished to achieve the mission or objective.
2.Estimate the duration of each activity or task.
3.Identify the dependencies between activities and tasks.
4.Identify all those that can be done concurrently.
5.Identify all those that can and should be delegated.
6.Identify all milestones and deadlines, including the start and end points.
7.Start from the end and work to the present, taking in consideration concurrent and delegated tasks, imposed milestones, and dependencies.
8.That is the basis for your work schedule and drives the planning and coordination of resources.

Richard Martin is a consultant, speaker, and executive coach. He brings his military and business leadership and management experience to bear for executives and organizations seeking to exploit change, maximize opportunity, and minimize risk.

© 2014 Richard Martin. Reproduction and quotes are permitted with proper attribution.