Chapter 9 – Deliverer
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9.2 Being Productive...........................................................................................................
(click the activity index number to take you back to the activities index)
An important aspect of the Deliverer role is the ability to get the job done. This requires
you to be focused and productive. It also involves managing your workload.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this activity is to develop your ability to
manage your workload so that you can be more productive.Stephen Covey (1989) developed a useful matrix for prioritising work which helps to
manage stress and increases productivity. This matrix can be a useful strategy for
managing work flow as an Academic Coordinator. It is very effective when used as an
‘in-basket system’. As you can see from the Figure 6 below, each quadrant in the figure
could be seen as a ‘tray’ in your in-basket. The vertical side of the matrix signifies
importance; the horizontal side of the matrix signifies urgency.
FIGURE 6: Managing Life Stress (adapted from Covey, 1989)
Quadrant 1 is the important and urgent quadrant. Many individuals who are not
adept at managing their productivity spend a lot of time in this quadrant. Crises, last
minute details, pressing problems that surface, all demand the attention of an Academic
Coordinator. Many of these problems can often be avoided or managed by focusing
more attention on Quadrant 2.
Quadrant 2 is where the important, but not urgent, activities associated with your
role sit. Quadrant 2 is about planning and ensuring you have systems, practices,
processes and tasks in hand and running well so that they do not become Quadrant 1
dilemmas. This is the area where you should spend most of your time. You should set
aside time to work on tasks in this quadrant when you are at your best. You should try
not to let other things take priority in the time you have set aside for tasks in this
quadrant.