WORKWEEK

In previous Newsletters, we have discussed the importance of effective decision making, and having a “compass” to make informed decisions in a timely manner.

The premise is no different when it comes to effective prioritisation. You need a compass that can provide logical rationale for what you should priotitise, when and how.

That is exactly why the Eisenhower Matrix exists. It’s an informed approach to help you decipher which tasks to tackle first. Here’s how it looks:

Theory Is Nothing Without Action

Now let’s get into more detail around how to put this framework into action:

Step 1: Make a comprehensive list of all your current tasks and commitments, both professional and personal. The key here is to capture everything on your plate.

Step 2: Go through each item and plot it on the 2×2 matrix based on whether it’s urgent/not urgent and important/not important. Be ruthlessly honest with yourself here.

Step 3: Prioritise Quadrant 1 and 2 tasks first. Schedule time on your calendar to tackle Quadrant 1 with immediacy. For Quadrant 2, schedule time later in the week or month.

Step 4: For Quadrant 3 tasks, work to delegate to someone else. If not, try to reschedule for next month.

Step 5: Eliminate or postpone Quadrant 4 tasks. If something isn’t urgent or important, remove it from your plate completely.

Step 6: Once scheduled, focus only on the Quadrant 1 & 2 tasks during their allotted time. Avoid distractions at all costs.

Step 7: Once you’ve completed your high priority tasks, then begin to tackle activities from the lower quadrants.

Happy Team = Happy Customers

Of course, as sales leaders, we’re constantly juggling the demands of multiple stakeholders. So, how do you prioritize between multiple Quadrant 1 tasks? And more importantly, how can you tell the difference between Quadrant 3 tasks that feel like Quadrant 1s? As a sales leader, you can think about your priorities in the order of:

• Team
• Customers
• Everything else

Why this order?

I first learned this from Richard Branson who says “Clients do not come first. Employees come first. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of the clients.” 

This couldn’t be more true.

The piece Richard is missing is the fact that happy clients then equate to more revenue. In reality, the equation looks like a happy team + happy customers = more revenue.

Your team is the connective tissue between you and your clients. The more you invest in them,the more they obsess over delivering great results for your customers and the better opportunity you have to grow your top line.

Next Week: Effective Delegation

Now that we have a proven framework around prioritisation holistically, next week we will explore how to identify tasks to delegate based on the Eisenhower Matrix. Then we will expand on how to effectively delegate to teammates and ensure shared accountability.