One of the most critical and difficult skills for managers to master is prioritization. I’ve seen managers prioritize projects in several different ways, but most tend to be in some sort of hierarchy like P1, P2, and P3. In such an array, I’ve also seen a dozen projects (or more) in each category. There was one instance in which everything was a high priority.
Sometimes projects are organized by date, including variables such as if the deadline is a hard, medium, or soft deadline. Really sophisticated systems add a level of labor required, noting projects that are a heavy, medium, or light “lift.”
Project and resource prioritization is a complicated exercise and there are advantages and disadvantages to different frameworks and processes based on industry, channel, and role. Understanding the nuances and complexities are critical to the success of any team, and managers must be flexible, decisive, and communicative about shifting priorities.
There will always be more to do than can be done. Effective managers identify what must be done vs. what could be done vs. what would be nice to do. The highest priorities are any decisions or actions that if not executed would destabilize the organization, open the company to financial or legal exposure, or jeopardize the goals or values of the company. Second priority items are anything that is time sensitive and would either compromise a market opportunity or subject the organization to a major threat. Lower priorities are activities that would bolster the organization or position it for possible future gains but is not imperative. Everything else is either a nice to have or just not necessary unless you have time to kill.
You should not attempt to execute every good idea. If everything is the top priority, then nothing is important because nothing will get the focus or resources it deserves. It reminds me of a game played on a children’s television show in which the kids could keep as many games and toys as they could carry across the finish line before the clock ran out. Most contestants raced across the stage, grabbed as many toys as possible, and then, as required, hopped on one foot back toward the finish line. As they hopped, (you guessed it) they dropped toys. Each child stopped to pick up the dropped toy only to drop more toys. Eventually, the clock ran out without anyone crossing the finish line. Occasionally, a more strategic thinker would pick only a few toys and hop across the finish line easily with all their favorites in hand.
How do you ensure the team members are only focused on the most impactful and important activities? First, it’s incumbent upon you as the manager to clearly articulate the definitions of your priority designations. Second, communicate your priorities in a consistent manner. Third, ensure that priorities are documented and easily accessible for quick reference. Fourth, make sure there is measurability and accountability built into your operations.
Finally, remember that people do what is inspected rather than what is expected. Just as there are more activities to do than can be completed, similarly there are more responsibilities documented in an employee handbook or job description than can be remembered or performed. People know what’s important in two ways: 1) based on the structure of their performance evaluation, and 2) based on what the boss follows up on. Everything else is not a priority. Make sure you are following up and measuring what is truly important.
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