How can you evaluate your team's time management?

In my experience, It will be a combination of things like: 1.SMART tool has always been helpful and within this the Manager has to be clear on tangible & Measurable Objectives to be time bound. 2. Rather than asking the project executive in the last moment or nth hour of the project closure, prepare a GANTT chart as build up till the end of project so that we know exact milestones & achievements of sub targets 3. Have regular & frequent updates with the executive 4.Due support to executive on both financial & collaborative support if it’s cross functional is critical for success

I always believe in if you understand the problem half problem solved. If you know your destination (goals) you can have paths to achieve it.

I personally look at three things while evaluating time management in my team: - the quality and timeliness of the deliverables - this is obvious - their ability to dynamically prioritize and repriortize deliverables, at times even on a daily basis. We work in a world that is constantly changing, hence the need - lastly, time management is deeply connected with capability - a combination of skills and knowledge. I have seen people struggle, not because they are not committed or managing time, just that they do not have the capability to do something, or takes much longer.

I find many people coming into our organization haven't been taught time management. Just as we mentor employees in other areas, mentoring them in time management is critical not only to their success, but also their happiness. I always love leading with Stephen Covey's four-quadrant approach in this respect.

Evaluating Time Management of team members becomes very challenging and subjective while functioning in an environment which necessitates performing multiple tasks coupled with direct and dotted reporting lines. More than often leadership fails to understand the impact of bringing in unplanned and abrupt changes and interventions in the midst of operations. Many a times operational exigencies also impact time management and the desired outcomes. Therefore, thumb rule for undertaking a meaningful evaluation of time management is adhering to approved plan as much as possible.

No sense using time tracking and reporting tools, then do nothing with the gathered data. Analise, interpret, and define actions to be more productive. Then control, or check on a regular base. Define, measure, analise, improve, control.

My understanding of “tools” is simply having “a system” to communicate, track and deliver. A recurrent follow up meeting can be all you need to have projects ticking, and your team supervised and coached. Tech tools are great but full buy-in to use them is key and in my experience this has been a challenge. Good management requires systems/routines to keep the organisational rhythm and productivity at healthy levels👌🏼

The first step to improve time management is awareness. You need data to show where an individual's time is being spent. A short-length study (2 weeks) should be adequate to capture various scenarios and the different challenges a day can bring in Customer Support. By showing an employee where they are truly spending their time, you can identify the low hanging fruit - areas of excess that can be easily trimmed - assign a time value to that gap (i.e. 30 minutes/day), and challenge that person to use that time to complete something on their to-do list. Seeing tasks be completed and fall off the list will encourage them to stay focused, draw and enforce barriers to others demanding their time, and create a sense of control over one's day.

If you have the right people in any role, then you will not need a time tracking system. If you work in retail where the store must open at 8 AM, then you make it clear to your employees who are required to open to be on time or be removed after one or two delays. Managers should not spend time and money tracking anyone's time. We place an undue burden on people. I will admit there are are control freaks within the managerial ranks, who love nothing more than looking over people's shoulders. There is no course in business school titled 'how to micromanage your employees'. Set clear expectations; hire the right people; fire and replace as needed.

Tracking and reporting only makes sense if data is analysed, interpreted and shared effectively. To ensure tracking and reporting is effective, use tools that are user friendly for team members, ensure tools are reviewed as required to fit reporting requirements and always customise if needed- existing tools are not cast in stone.

Feedback is a gift. We cannot grow personally and professionally without consistent and honest feedback. It’s important to know what is working well and what are developmental opportunities. Without feedback we are flying blind and that’s a flight I don’t want to be on.

Gaining team feedback, with the goal of learning what the team understands their priorities to be vs. what the priorities are to reach objectives must happen often. This conversation allows for adjustments and learning. Opportunities on how to maximize resources, delegate, and prioritize are more readily digested in bite sized communication. These are positive interactions that allow for improvement as opposed to accumulated negative energy, resulting in demotivated and unproductive team members.

Conducting regular feedback sessions is another way to evaluate your teams time management. Consistently checking in with team members and providing feedback on their time management skills helps improve how they operate their time.

Feedback is only as impactful as the individual deciding to incorporate this into a reflective practice of learning, where a combination of placing one’s ego in check and being intentional in their learning journey can this work create value. First determine if an individual is willing to receive feedback and how it is best provided. I heard this phrase in a training - your desire to change must be greater than your desire to remain the same.

I totally agreed, feedbacks are efficient for shared learning and Evaluation. Ensure the feedback loop is closed everytime it is activated by ensuring adequate response and actions are taken by managers as required.

Coaching vs Training. Yes, they are different. Some people need one and not the other. Some people want/need both. Coaching is self-propelled guided improvement, while training is mostly about teaching/transferring a skill. If your team needs skills, train them, if they need guidance and support in their "own" goals, coach them. Time management is a skill. Becoming an organized, productive, punctual professional is a goal that can be coached. What does your team need?

Traditional coaching feels stale for Gen Z, like throwing tools at a wall hoping something sticks. They need relatable examples, the real deal from someone who's been in the trenches, sweat and all. That's where a player-turned-coach shines ✨. Imagine someone who gets your frustration, who's been stuck in that same rut and found a way out. They don't just bark orders, they share their playbook, the "why" behind the moves, not just the "how". Perseverance and discipline are awesome, but understanding the purpose fuels the fire.

Nothing like learning in a live fire environment, it dilutes the opportunity cost of taking good people off high value and speedy projects, good people are eager to pick things up along the way training is important but culture drives success not endless training.

View training and development not merely as a corrective measure but as a continuous evolution. Encourage a culture where learning is woven into the fabric of daily work. Foster an environment where team members actively seek knowledge to refine their time management skills. Embrace a mindset that sees each coaching session not just as a solution to a problem but as a stepping stone for individual and collective growth, fostering a perpetual cycle of improvement within your team.

Purpose: Training teaches a group of people specific skills they need to learn, focusing on knowledge transfer and skill retention. On the other hand, coaching offers individualized advice to a client during a one-on-one session and concentrates on enhancement rather than new learning.

𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Publicly recognise individuals or the team for excellent time management. 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀: Create awards or certificates for achievements in productivity and efficiency. 𝗕𝗼𝗻𝘂𝘀𝗲𝘀: Offer financial bonuses or extra time off as incentives for meeting time management goals. 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀: Organise team outings or social events to celebrate milestones and successes. 𝗙𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀: Share success stories in company communications to inspire others. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁: Provide ongoing support and resources to maintain and improve time management skills.

Celebration of each milestone success is very much required. It helps the team members to try more and boost confidence to perform more. Also, need to motivate the team by providing the award and recognition to individual team members for their significant contribution.

To celebrate and reward your team's success, consider organizing a team event and offering personalized rewards such as gift cards, extra time off, or public recognition. Involving the team in the decision-making process ensures that the chosen rewards are meaningful to them, fostering a positive work environment and encouraging continued excellence.

Praise and Recognition goes a long way with your team. Highlighting the wins first and strongest contributor to the success of the team will show them you noticed their hard work and abilities. If there are any things that need improvement I would highlight after Praise and Recognition and have it backed by statistics while also having a plan of attack to eliminate these opportunities that we need to improve on.

Reinforcing the positive behavior is a great way to uplift strong employees and help motivate those with opportunity for improvement.

I’ve learned to adapt and use SMARTER Goals and assist my clients in doing the same. In my experience SMART goals end up as SMAR goals because the timeline ends up not being honored or gets forgotten all together. The E is Evaluation and the R is Review. When these two steps are added the T becomes a permanent piece of the plan!

I have found that when it comes to reassessing the goals we thought were SMART we may not have taken into account the actual time required to complete the tasks. Ensuring, as a leader, I truly understand all that is involved in completing the work allows me to work with the team in really setting goals we can achieve to deliver to the organization’s strategy and goals.

Adjustments to expectations should be made after the results are analyzed. Some other data points to look at: -Did the team work together? -Were some individuals more productive than others? -Did the team adjust their workflows to accomodate the needs of under-performers? -Are there individuals who exhibit leadership skills that may be developed into the next generation of leaders? -Can the team suggest changes to processes or additional steps that can be taken to streamline their results. Feedback from the team may be useful to improve the process and reduce time.

The strategy should be the purpose of the task. Purposeless tasks that don't create any value should be eliminated from the get go.

Consider strategy not as a rigid blueprint but as a living organism. Regularly nourish it with insights gained from the team's time management journey. Embrace a mindset that sees adaptation as a strength, not a concession. Like a skilled gardener tends to a diverse garden, cultivate an environment where strategies are pruned, reshaped, and enriched based on the unique needs and circumstances of your team. This organic approach ensures that your time management strategy not only survives but thrives in the ever-changing landscape of challenges and opportunities.

This note is not in context of a work-day at a job, working on 'a' project. It is about 'time management', in general. Time management is about splitting your time across all the important things that need to be done. Even 2-3 hours per week spent on something that is important to you & brings you happiness, adds up to 100 hours in a year. Having spent 100 hours in a year, you will not look back *in regret* saying, "I really love ______, but i just don't find the time." You might say, "I wish i gave more time to _____" but never a regret of having missed out in life. I've run a mid-sized (600 people) software business, run a high impact non-profit, continued with my daily Meditation and more, all within the 7 days a week that we have.

Safety, well-being, balance and sustainable results all need to be part of the consideration set when thinking about effective time management for your team. Productivity is important, however, fair expectations and a safe environment where team members can be honest about delivery capacity is necessary for a team to build continuous success.

Leading by example, being there to support and help be part of the task at hand. I also feel it’s important to give right tasks to the right people, someone will do something better and quicker if they enjoy what they are doing and get sense of achievement from completing.

Ask them “What are we doing as a company that takes up valuable time”….it’s amazing what one less meeting or updating a old policy and procedure can do.

I have always found it very beneficial if I not only have touch bases with my team and of course the yearly annual reviews; but I always had my team take a DISC assessment. I believe it is truly so important to know who they are as a person (what motivates them, what drives them, what encourages them) & it allowed me to better manage as well as understand them. Huge fan of DISC!