Templates

Filter at a Glance

Purpose: The objective is to provide a summary that can be easily referred to and often updated.  This is a tool by which you can make easy and quick filtering decisions.

Entry descriptions/ actions: List your most important roles.  For each role list your most important goals or accomplishment you want to see happen within a reasonable time period. List the names or initials of the most important people that impact or will be impacted by that role.  List the most important subjects that relate to that role and/or the information you need to collect to help you fulfill that role or achieve that goal.

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Roles Inventory

Purpose: This template serves to help you list, prioritize, and describe the high value roles on which you and/or your protégé need to focus. Once written, these roles and their related descriptions can be discussed and negotiated with others.

Entry descriptions/ actions: Think of and list all your important roles. Try to group them into Leadership roles, Project roles, and Operational roles.  Further, you may wish to consider them in light of personal, family, business, and community related roles. If you find that you have too many roles listed, identify the most important five in each category. Describe each role using the most appropriate adjectives. If you have too many adjectives, highlight the most important adjectives. Your important peoplewill help you to define your roles. Take time seeking their input or comparing their perception of your roles and how they describe them. Negotiate with them for the most appropriate description.

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Goals Inventory

Purpose: The objective is to write SMART goals  that relate to the high value roles you identified in Template A.  SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Agreed upon, Realistic and Time dependent.

Entry descriptions/ actions: For each role list the accomplishment or what you need to see happen. Write the step-by-step activities that you need to undertake to achieve each accomplishment. Start each activity using an active verb. Do not forget to write your completion target date. Most actions require time. To ensure that actions are carried out, we recommend that they be recorded in your calendar or time management system.

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People Inventory

Purpose: This template is to help you prioritize the people in your life. The outcome is a prioritized list of names that should relate to your roles and to your time investment.

Entry descriptions/ actions: Using whatever sources you choose, examine your contact list. Code these names as I = Important, T = Teachable, and D = Draining. Transcribe these onto your template. In some cases one name may have more than one code (I, T, D). Write your reason for that assessment or importance. Relate these names to the important roles they play in your life or the important roles you play in their lives.

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Subjects Inventory

Purpose: The objective is to develop a filing index of the information subjects that are important to the fulfillment of your roles. This should help reduce information clutter as well as facilitating filing and information retrieval.

Entry descriptions/ actions: List subjects and sub subjects. Where appropriate, relate each entry to the role or roles they impact.

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Note Taking Sheet

Purpose: The objective is to provide one place to capture all notes, thoughts, interactions, and related responses.

Entry descriptions/ actions: At the beginning of a day record the day and date. As the day progresses write details appropriate for each encounter, communication, or thought. Include the time and type of communication. Record the source and appropriate thought. If a response is requested or received, indicate this as well. If delegation is needed, record to whom the matter is delegated and target due date. To help you prioritize your focus or needed follow- up indicate the ABC priorities, if you wish. Periodically, say once a month, staple all the sheets used in this period and file them away as a communication and notes record.

If you are taking notes in a meeting, the top part of this sheet provides a space to record the meeting title, meeting location, and the meeting attendees. At the end of your meeting, if you need to, file related sheets in an appropriate file with the meeting title. Review your notes against the meeting minutes when they arrive.

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VIP (Very Important Paper)

Purpose: The objectives are to reduce interruptions and distractions by sorting and batch processing thoughts related to one person and to provide an agenda or a list of points for future discussion.

Entry descriptions/actions: This template is similar in layout to Template E. Write the name of the person with whom you plan to communicate. As required, record the date and your thoughts. You may choose to record the priority of the item in question as A, B or C. When the time comes to discuss the point in question, write the response in the response section. For a historical record, file these sheets in a folder labelled with the name of the person.

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Supplies List

Purpose: The objective is to ensure that you have all the supplies needed for optimum operational efficiency.

Use: Examine your office supplies and mark what you need before going shopping or placing an order for the needed supplies. Repeat this process periodically.

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Time Planner, Week at a Glance

Purpose: The objective is to provide a single planning view that captures roles, goals, and related activities in a single weekly view.

Use: Modify this Excel template by changing the roles to reflect the highest value roles on which you want to focus. At the beginning of every week plan your goals and their related activities. By allocating appropriate time such activities will become your priority.

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E-Mail Rules Filtering Using MS Outlook

Purpose: The objective  is to provide an easy to use exercise to help you start using MS Outlook to set e-mail receiving priorities.

Use: This is based on the Help file in MS Office 2000.  Instruction may vary based on the MS Office version you are using.

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E-Mail Rules Filtering Using IBM Notes

Purpose: The objective  is to provide an easy to use exercise to help you start using IBM Lotus Notes to set e-mail receiving priorities.

Use: This is based on the Help file in Notes 5.  Instruction may vary based on the Notes version you are using.

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Do Not Disturb Sign

Purpose: The objective is to provide a simple sign to reduce distractions and interruptions when you need to focus and concentrate.

Use: Print this sign and place outside your office or at the entrance to your work space.

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Project Charter and High Level Plan

Purpose: To enhance project leadership, the objective of this template is to provide simple documentation and communication of project objectives, activities, and communications. This template is a simple tool that follows the structure of the Effective Project Leadership Framework.

Use: This document can be used on its own as a full project life cycle document or as a summary of other supporting project management tools.  These tools are also provided via hyperlinks in a table at the end of this main document.

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Project Gantt Chart

Purpose: Provide a simple spread sheet to be used in planning, estimating and managing project progress.

Use: Each heading field has a note that explains the input or the use of this field..

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Project Gantt Chart, Simple Task and Responsibility List

Purpose: Provide a simple table to be used in planning, effort estimating and managing simple project progress.

Use: Headings are not provided but are the same as the project Gantt chart above.

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Progress Review Dashboard

Purpose: Provide a simple tool for accountability and support

Use: Management by objectives is a critical skill for those who wish to lead or coach their teams. This is a discussion and progress review tool to be completed by your team member in preparation for a regular one on one coaching session.

Note: See also our white paper:

Enhancing Effectiveness by Focusing Your Roles – a Self Directed Coaching Process

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Issues Log

Purpose: Provide a simple tool to manage issues without becoming involved in solving them

Use: This tool is helpful to ensure that leaders stay on top of critical issues that are managed by those who report to them. This log is to be maintained by the leader.

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Role Development Template

Purpose: Provide a tool to help define high value roles.

Use: For direction on the use of this tool we recommend that your read the paper, “Overcoming Title Imposed Roles”.

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Meeting Agenda

Purpose: Provide a simple meeting notification and confirmation tool

Use: Starting with a active verb, state the objective of the meeting which should be supported by the agenda items as the goals of the meeting.  Each agenda item should have a start and end time. The role of each participant should be clearly stated as confirmed.

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Meeting Minutes

Purpose: This tool serves to communicate the meeting outcome and confirms critical discussion points.

Use: Using a copy and paste from the Meeting Agenda, record any undertaking or action items.  Where appropriate, add needed discussion notes.

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Coaching Progress Dashboard

Purpose: Provide a simple tool for use in a self directed coaching process

Use: This is a simple discussion and accountability tool to be updated by the coaches or player.

Note: See also our white paper:

Coaching Simplified

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Document Inventory and Index

Purpose: This tool is used in developing an index of documents that support operational tasks.

Use: How to use each heading is included as a note on top of each heading.

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