Stop Interrupting My Performance!

A common question we get in training programs is "How do I get other people to stop interrupting me?" If the performers in your circus are breaking up your acts on a regular basis, try these strategies to help stay focused:

• Clarify the interruptions. When someone says, "Do you have a minute?" give them a specified amount of time that you do have, or say "Not right now. Let's set up a time later to give it the attention your issue deserves." Then, set up a time to meet with them that works better in YOUR lineup. This does not apply in cases of emergency, of course.


• Determine the reasons for the interruptions. Is it because they have incomplete information? Lack of knowledge about processes/procedures? Boredom/Procrastination on their part OR yours?


• Be less available/Have something else to do. If they are physically in front of you, use body language to signal that you need to end the conversation. Give a point in time when you can assist them (after I finish this report). Don't respond immediately to e mail (unless required by your supervisor or work team). That's a clear signal that you are fully available.

Remember, you're the Ringmaster of your circus. You have to keep the focus on the right act in the right ring at the right moment.

It's Never Their Fault!

One of the areas of Juggling Elephants that sometimes raises the eyebrow of a reader is the chapter on building relationships. In that chapter we suggest (through the parable) that there is much to learn about building relationships from observing various circus acts. One of the acts is that of the animal trainer. "But my people aren't animals," you say. Of course not, but several of their techniques are completely applicable to improving the relationships we have with other humans (or that they have with us).

One key principle employed by many animal trainers is the saying, "It's never the animal's fault" when the animal fails to perform correctly. In general, it forces the animal trainer to reflect on their training of the animal to make sure they haven't forgotten something or encouraged the animal to develop the less than desirable behavior with their tactics.

What if, the next time you are disappointed with a co worker, you stopped and said to yourself, "It's not their fault. What could have caused this to happen?" You would focus on solutions to preventing the same failures again instead of simply blaming them. That would certainly lay the groundwork for a much more successful act the next time.

Managing Meetings In Your Lineup

Meetings are an important part of a lot of our professions. I don''t know many people who just love meetings. Sometimes they are a necessary evil. But nothing is worse than sitting in a meeting that isn't important and thinking the whole time about the huge "To Do List" back at your desk. Meetings can be costly, reduce productivity, and lower morale. Remember this the next time you have an urge to call a meeting. If the meeting is critical here are a few things to remember:

• K.I.S.S.-Keep It Short Sweetie! Have an agenda, cover the items quickly and then end it. Don’t be afraid to remove all the chairs and call a "stand up meeting." If people are not able to sit down, they will be less likely to drag out a meeting. No one will complain that a meeting ended early.
• If pulling people together requires significant travel (across campus, across town, or across country) try using technology to facilitate the meeting instead of wasting the time for the commute. There are some great tools that don't cost a lot that can facilitate conducting a meeting across distances. Instant Messaging, web conferencing, conference bridges, and team sites can be used to reduce travel costs and time.
• If you have reoccurring meetings, like a weekly staff meeting, don’t be afraid to cancel it if there aren’t a significant number of items on your agenda. Otherwise, you will find yourself "making up" things to talk about and therefore wasting time. If this occurs often, decrease the frequency of the meeting to every other week or once a month.

Managing meetings is an important strategy to managing your time. You have enough acts in your circus that need your attention without adding unnecessary meetings and travel time.

Time Management and High Fuel Prices

With rising fuel prices, many of us are being forced to limit trips in our vehicles and avoid unnecessary driving. In some cases, people may even have to limit spending on other items in order to pay for fuel. I have a friend who is an independent truck driver, and he has had to turn down some jobs because, in his words, "I just can't make money delivering that load." Tough times indeed.

This situation also caused me to reflect on how things would be different in my own life if I looked at my time and energy in a similar manner more often. Here are some possibilities:

• I would more consciously prioritize the tasks in my day, insuring that the ones with the greatest connection to my purpose were accomplished first.


• Because time is so valuable, I would guard against wasting a single moment.


• Before expending my energy (physical, mental or emotional) on any issue or task, I would ask if the benefit was really worth the cost. Put another way, does it help me accomplish my purpose? If the answer is no-it would not find it's way into my schedule.

Bottom line? I'd stop wasting my own resources. Good advice to myself-whether it's fuel, time or energy of any kind.

Small Acts Can Be Big Ones

Last week I had a conversation with someone who is definitely "struggling to get it all done." The twist was that while they had lots of acts going on in their work ring, they just didn't have some of the RIGHT ones. They were busy, but not bringing the right tasks into their lineup to improve their business over the long term.

It became very clear that my role was to listen. When they finished their verbal download, I simply asked one question: "If you could perform only one task at work tomorrow that could have a major impact on the success of your business, what would it be?" While I expected a litany of items, he just replied, "I need to make a phone call." And he did.

The enthusiasm I heard in his voice after the phone call was wonderful! While he has not worked out the details yet, at least he has new hope for his business-and his circus.

What is the one small thing you could do today that could have a big impact on one or more of the areas of your life?