Funny thing time, it passes so quickly we never seem to have enough of it, yet sometimes it seems to drag, ever thought why? How come some people always appear stressed, others calm? How come some people get things done, meet deadlines, can handle complexity, unexpected demands, etc?

Programme Introduction

This three day time management Supervisor Training Course reviews various aspects of becoming an efficient time manager. In doing so it addresses the philosophy of management linked to practical studies. As a result supervisor training participants will achieve a greater perspective on their job, work environment, objectives and priorities in the context of adding value to their organisation. Effective time management embraces a result oriented culture.

This difference between what we aim to do and what we achieve is often accounted for by time wasted and effort wrongly directed at low priority activities or objectives. Effective time management requires the science of systems, processes, job analysis but also the art of intuition, feeling, judgement, etc.

Our good intentions may become meaningless as emergencies, priorities and impromptu meetings interrupt day-to-day activities. Good time management requires an awareness of our accountabilities, our capabilities, our limitations and an appreciation of the requirements and abilities of others. Our time and tasks need engineering to recognise priorities, deadlines and resource utilisation to create a framework that ensures demands are satisfied and distraction from our purpose is contained.

This particular time management Supervisor Training Course (courses are designed to satisfy client needs) is designed to improve participant self and organisational awareness and give practical time management assistance in the general management of their environment. This is achieved over three time management sessions which is briefly described as follows:

1) ASPECTS AND PRINCIPLES

Time is a resource to be managed like any other. The use of this resource is in our own hands and therefore time management involves consideration of what return is likely from time investment. Faced with that realisation time management will often conclude that what was previously considered "necessary" interruptions or minor tasks can and should be avoided. But it is the participant's own time management experience particularly of typical time disrupters that is important. This supervisor training session will also consider their application of a proactive and empowered style as opposed to reactive time management (or even crisis management) thereby revealling the extent of change required. Of course this awareness time management inefficiencies may already exist and consequently a barrier to improvement could be procrastination. This and other time management barriers will be considered.

2) ANALYSIS AND STRUCTURING

This time management session starts by considering whether it is a mistake to adopt a posture that would suggest there is a standard approach to the management of our environment. Primarily because this would presuppose we all operate in the same market sector and organisational culture, at the same level and performing the same role, this is clearly not so!

The simple truth is that we ourselves must interpret and manage our own responsibilities.

The session will also cover job analysis and its impact on the process chain. Techniques for delegation will be reviewed but with job analysis, role specification and empowerment its usage will be redefined. The session will close with a brief review of planning techniques, scheduling and resource management.

3) IMPLEMENTING IMPROVEMENT

To be effective participants need to consider ideas for time, system, and resource utilisation improvement.

Ideas to improve time management however should only be adopted once they have been thoroughly appraised and thought viable by the participants themselves (and their managers) within their work environment. However identification of what to change is only half the battle. Participants also need knowledge of how best they can introduce change. This will necessitate some skill in other supervisor training subjects, eg, change management, communication, motivation and planning to reconcile what is required in relation to what resource is available within reasonable time frames.

time management is about philosophy, culture, attitude, empowerment, determination, motivation, etc

The assumption that time management is simply about tools systems is a grave mistake.

Consequently to be effective in time management further learning modules may be advisable.