Podcast Summary: Manager Tools

Episode: Time (Priority) Management - Part 2 (Hall Of Fame Guidance)
Date: May 21, 2006
Hosts: Michael Ozan and Mark Horstman

Episode Overview

This episode is the second installment in a two-part series on time management, focusing on actionable steps for managers to align their schedules with true priorities. The hosts, Michael Ozan and Mark Horstman, move from theory into practical analysis and planning, emphasizing that genuine effectiveness comes from organizing around top responsibilities, rather than maximizing task completion. The tone is candid, direct, and motivational, urging managers to own their schedules and choices.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Importance of a Schedule and Calendar

• Managers Must Use Calendars:
  Mark stresses that not keeping a clear schedule is unprofessional for managers, likening it to a surgeon not tracking patient outcomes.
  • “If you don't keep a calendar, if you don't have a schedule, you've got no business listening to the rest of this cast.” (02:43)
• Honest Self-Assessment:
  Managers often misrepresent how they spend their time, especially with email. An honest review is vital.
  • “Managers are... fundamentally honest and good people. Except when it comes to email. Everybody wants to fib.” (05:42)

2. Step-by-Step Priority and Time Analysis

Step 1: Identify Five Key Priorities

• Boil down all responsibilities and focus areas to a concise list—no more than five.
  • “Clean sheet of paper, five priorities. Okay?” (01:49)

Step 2: Time Analysis via Calendar Review (Step 3)

• Print out the last three weeks of your calendar, one day per sheet.
• Document your daily start and stop times. Use email logs as a proxy for arrival times if needed.
• For every 15-minute increment, note what you did. If you can’t recall or there’s nothing scheduled, write “nothing.”
  • “All we're going to do is review each day from coming in to going home in 15 minute increments and write down what you did in those 15 minutes.” (05:53)
• Aggregate this time under your top five priorities. Non-priority time gets placed in an “other” category.

Step 3A: The Drucker Time Analysis (Alternative Approach)

• Use an assistant, or a timed alarm, to record every 10 minutes what you’re actually doing, in real time, over three weeks.
  • “Every 10 minutes... put an alarm on my PDA... and I wrote on a sheet of paper what I was doing.” (10:51)
• This provides objective data, forces awareness, and often yields surprising insights.

Step 4: Scheduling the Top Priority

• After analysis, schedule time for your most important responsibility—just one, not all five, to start.
• Reserve at least two 90-minute blocks per week, preferably between 7–10am when mental energy is highest.
  • “Pick your first priority and put it on your calendar... in the first week, at least two 90 minute blocks for your primary responsibility.” (13:32)
• Don’t over-schedule or combine responsibilities in these blocks.

3. Why Focusing on Fewer Things Matters

• The hosts stress quality over quantity—managers must choose what matters most.
  • “Forget it. It's not about getting more things done in a period. It's about getting the most important thing.” (16:47)
• Effective time management is about saying “yes” to the primary responsibility and “no” to less critical ones, accepting some discomfort.

4. Challenges, Anecdotes & Managerial Realities

• Mark recounts productivity studies demonstrating significant “dead time,” reminding listeners it’s normal, not a sign of failure.
  • “We were the most productive unit in the army that year. And we had 66% productivity... you got dead time, folks. Just get used to it.” (12:56)

5. Listener Feedback and Philosophical Shift

• Many listeners expect tips to get more done, but Manager Tools insists it’s about doing more of what matters—not just more in general.
  • “You get paid to get better, which is more efficient around the time that you have. And that's saying no to things.” (16:58)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Calendar Discipline:
  “It is unconscionable... It's like a surgeon not tracking her patient success.” — Mark (02:56)
• On Email Self-Deception:
  “Everybody wants to fib. They want to market themselves about how much email they do... but they don't want to admit how much time it takes them.” — Mark (05:42)
• On Prioritizing Big Rocks:
  “That's essentially what we're getting at here... you pick your first priority and put it on your calendar.” — Mark (13:28)
• On Effectiveness vs. Volume:
  “Forget it. It's not about getting more things done in a period. It's about getting the most important thing.” — Michael (16:47)
• On Saying No:
  “You don't balance it. You go home. It's not about more for work... It's about choosing more effectively.” — Mark (16:51)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Opening & Episode Context: 00:00–01:48
• Why Calendars Matter: 01:48–03:30
• Calendar Analysis Process: 03:30–07:00
• Honest Time Tracking & Email Issues: 07:00–09:00
• Drucker Time Analysis Method: 09:00–12:00
• Lessons from Time Studies and Dead Time: 12:00–13:30
• How to Schedule Priorities: 13:30–15:00
• Why Focus on One Thing: 15:00–16:47
• The Principle of Saying No: 16:47–17:36

Actionable Takeaways

• Do a candid, detailed analysis of recent workweeks—either by reviewing your calendar in 15-minute increments or using real-time tracking.
• Aggregate all recorded activities under a maximum of five top priorities.
• Explicitly schedule protected, morning time blocks (at least 2 × 90 minutes weekly) for your single most important responsibility.
• Remember: Time management is not about cramming in more tasks, but about ensuring your time matches your true priorities.

Final Thoughts

The hosts wrap up by inviting feedback and stories from listeners who try these steps, underscoring that the real challenge isn’t theory or efficiency tricks—it’s honestly facing priorities and having the discipline to put them first.
If you want to be an effective manager, don’t seek to do more—seek to do what matters most.

For more resources, visit Manager Tools.