How we manage time
How we manage time – A dilemma
You are an account executive of a company that builds and delivers cement factories for clients around the world. You have been given the task to prepare a presentation for a potential new client in a public tender process. It is evidently complex task so it requires tight management and for everyone on the bid team to work in the same direction. As usual in such a situation there are time constraints which put even more pressure on your shoulders. You are managing the bid team of 8 people consisting of engineers, project managers, finance people and HR people.
At the first meeting in the bid team you present a very detailed plan for the bid process with tasks and deadlines for every member of the team. Your plan is so detailed and thought through that it is just to press the “Start” button and you will be done well before the deadline 20 days from now.
A week later you have noticed that some team members report to you as you expected and they finish their tasks as expected while others are totally silent. Actually you have just learned that one of the key members, a senior engineer, who is one of the most experienced in the company just went off for a prolonged week-end holiday. He hasn’t reported back to you even once.
The following wednesday when he is back you call him and tell him you miss his reporting on the bid process. He tells you that he doesn’t like your micro management and he does his tasks when he is motivated and he tells you that he has never missed a deadline.
You find it very hard to absorb that statement. If we don’t plan ahead we might be too late. You call him again and tell him that you are the project manager and that if he is doing his part at the last moment the quality will probably be to low.
He hang up and doesn’t answer your call again.
Questions
- What went wrong there?
- How would you have approached the situation?
- What will an intelligent cultural reconciliation look like?
- Think about how we manage time in different situations
Are the value statements on your corporate website real?
Sure! Here’s a more engaging, conversational, and personal version of your article, while keeping the original message and credibility intact: Why Your Company’s Values Aren’t What You Think They Are Let’s be honest—we’ve all been there. Sitting through yet another...
Here is why being a “Data-driven leader” is not as great as you might think
This article is about the hidden pitfalls of being a purely data-driven leader and why relying solely on numbers can lead to poor decision-making. While data is valuable, true leadership also requires emotional intelligence (EQ) and cultural...
Changing Corporate Culture With Cultural Nudging
What is Cultural Nudging Cultural nudging is a concept where we can alter people's behaviour in a predictable way without forbidding them to choose other options. It is used a lot in architecture where you want people to move in a specific way and pace in a building....
Why Fighting Climate Change has to be embedded in Corporate Cultures
Fighting climate change has to be embedded in the corporate cultures for a number of reasons. Learn why and how you change the corporate culture
When we accept behaviour today we wouldn’t accept before
Why we accept behaviour we didn't accept before Unlike what we might initially think cultural values change over time. That is the truth for any culture - in fact no culture would be able to survice if it didn't adapt to the external environment all the time. When I...