PMcrunch

Personal management is often a limting factor for projects managers.  This can help:

1. I sometimes have trouble remembering which subfolder I put something into, or have trouble deciding which folder to put something into.  That’s a signal for at least some reorganization required!

2. I try to think of the # of messages in a folder and whether it is enough to justify the folder.

3. Occasionally – although not often enough – I archive and clean out folders.  I could probably automate that.

4. I am on too many lists, and need to assess carefully what automated emails – newsletters and the like – I really want to receive.

5. I deal with spam as best I can, but do not have the total solution.  I still manually delete a lot of spam that gets through.

6. I think it communicates beautifully in many situations, clarifies points that now can be referenced, and provides documentation.  That being said, it is not optimal for working out solutions collaboratively a lot of the time, when it would be much better to talk on the phone or use instant messaging.

7. When someone is in charge of a process – like customer service or tech support – which requires responding immediately, consider removing that activity from email – which could then be checked every couple of hours – and instead use instant messaging or telephone for the activity that requires immediate response.  These different methods of communicating – email, IM, and phone – all represent different tools, just like different types of hammers – standard carpenter’s hammer, mallet, and sledge hammer.

8. Another ideal solution in a customer service or tech support situation is to not use email or IM at all.  If possible, just use an application that provides constant notifications WITHIN the application – not to your email – which is updating on a real-time basis.

John Reiling, PMP Project Management Training Online Lean Six Sigma Training Online