Steven Covey s Management Matrix on Urgent and Important

Quadrant 2, as highlighted is the one highly recommended where the Project Team should ideally spend. More than 80% of our time on this quadrant indicates that it’s a self-organized people/team. What does it require to get us there in to Quadrant 2? Priority of the Tasks/Activities. We tend to spend our time on trivial and insignificant activities. This happens when the priority and critical of the work/tasks is unknown. Well defined plan. One should know when each task needs to be delivered and what exactly to be delivered and how much effort is required to deliver the same. When a resource knows what needs to be done and by when, it makes management more organized to commit about deadlines and deliverables. Blockers which could potential reasons for not being in Quadrant 2? People – Behavioral. (Important to get the team’s buy-in in any mission. Also avoid unnecessary distractions. Inculcate self-discipline and accountability for the hours spent. Otherwise your burn rate can bring down the work.) Lack of Tools When people are not equipped with proper tools or system, it will be difficult for them to be organized, which could potentially lead them towards other Quadrants. Vision/Objective – Person or Program or Project Whether it’s individual or Program/Project, one should have a clear understanding about mission/vision - be it short term or long term, which will help them to plan the calendar and apportion hours accordingly. The short term generally addressed as milestones will help the team to plan in line with scheduled scope and work, to make the most in Resource utilization and execution. How PMP can help to bring the team or Program move to Quadrant #2? * Project managers can be proactive in their roles as decision makers, marketers, problem solvers and team builders. * Beginning with the end in mind is analogous to starting a project with a good requirements definition. * Putting first things first relates to proper task prioritization. * Think win-win means that project managers need to understand the sources of conflict in order to best resolve them. * Seek first to understand, then to be understood (#5) highlights the importance of communications. * Synergize relates to the project manager's coordination skills, and * sharpen the saw reinforces the project manager's drive toward continuous process improvement. (Courtesy PMI.org)