When you address a problem, take the time to evaluate how important this problem is to you, your group and your company.  And when you coach others to describe a problem or opportunity, ask them to include how important the issue is.  Ask them, “What is important for you in this situation?”  Draw out why it matters to them.  Get a sense of their core values and how this situation impacts them.

From Stephen Covey’s book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, p. 151.  Pages 150-165 give a detailed analysis of this matrix, urging you to make time for Quadrant II.

Determine which above Quadrant the problem or opportunity belongs to.

Quadrant I:  Urgent and Important.  We tend to jump right on these issues.

Quadrant II:  Not urgent, but important.  We tend to neglect these items, to our long term detriment.

Quadrant III:  Urgent but not important.  We often spend too much time here.

Quadrant IV:  Not urgent and not important.  Unfortunately, these items are often the most fun so we waste time on them.

Coach yourself and others to spend more time in Quadrant II.  Stephen Covey in his book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, writes 15 pages of reasons why this will be good for you.  Improve your time management by setting aside specified times for working on items in Quadrant II such as relationship building, visualizing new opportunities, preventive maintenance, exercise, stress mgt., etc.  Coach your direct reports to do the same.

Likewise coach yourself and others to minimize Quadrant IV activities and cut back on time spent on Quadrant III activities.

In this way you are able to better allocate your time to the things that are important.

You can improve your ability to manage time and solve problems through our individual and Group Executive Coaching – performance management is an entire Module (http://www.EmotionallyIntelligentLeadership.com ),

and Self-Study Program (http://www.EagleAlliance.com/services/gec/ssinfo ).

Copyright © 2009, by William R. Murray, President of Eagle Alliance Executive Coaching, LLC.  Reprint rights granted to all venues so long as this article and by-line are printed intact with all links made live.