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Who says men can't multi-task?

30th Sep 2012
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In fact, maybe I should ask "who says ANYONE can multi-task?" My wife is a classic multi-tasker - that is to say her head is full of a million tasks and she tries to do as many as she can simultaneously, which usually results in her achieving none of them.

On the other hand, I'm a traditional male serial single tasker, I can only do one thing at a time, but that's all I'll do. When I finish that, I'll move on to the next thing.

Unfortunately, I seem to be in the minority in the office. My staff each seem to delight in hoarding as many jobs as possible and keeping them all just ticking over, which might be fine if they ever finished any of them on time and within budget. The reality is that while we have some good finishers, we also have a few people who are great at starting jobs but then quickly lose interest and accumulate other 'urgent' jobs along the way to keep them entertained - which, of course, means that they lose track of where they are on the original job and end up going round in ever decreasing circles!

So October is going to be New Deal month for us all. We're going to build a more results-focused culture that rewards jobs completed and delivered, rather than hours on a timesheet. That's got to be good for morale ultimately, and good for clients. It's going to involve some sticks and carrots to get us there, and maybe a bit more micromanagement that we would like. 

Part of the trouble is that none of my current team ever worked for a large firm. When I was training we spent all out time out at audit clients, moving on each week or two to a new audit. Consequently, jobs had to be finished at the end of the allotted time because there was no spare time in the schedule to finish things later. What it meant was that we were good at finishing jobs "subject to ...", which was fine. An almost completed file documented exactly what was outstanding, so the audit manager could quickly finish it off in the office without needing to refer back to us. In contrast, my team like to keep files open until they are complete, but in the meantime don't complete what they can "subject to" the few outstanding items. Surely, for example, the senior can sign off the bank section of an audit "subject to receiving the bank letter" - rather than leaving the entire section incomplete, especially if that's all that's stopping us from issuing final draft accounts to the client.

Perhaps we'll find that some of our team really can multi-task - which will be great. If they can work on two clients at the same time and finish both on schedule, we'll be able to bill twice as much for them!

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Replies (9)

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By User deleted
01st Oct 2012 09:36

I hate multi-tasking at work

I have to do one job and only one job or my brain throws a wobbly. So I swear by to-do lists - anything that enters my brain goes on the list so it doesn't swim around in the grey matter bothering me.

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By User deleted
01st Oct 2012 17:30

Flash ...

... you are like me, we multi task, but sequentially!

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By User deleted
01st Oct 2012 17:37

@ OGA

So true! There is a reason that you look so wise.....

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By ShirleyM
01st Oct 2012 18:15

I think cooking is the ultimate test

If you can cook a meal, and have everything finished and ready at the same time, then you can multi-task. If you can't ... then stick it in the microwave.

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By User deleted
01st Oct 2012 18:42

Full English

That settles it Shirley - I can't manage to get the sausages, bacon, beans and fried eggs ready at the same time! But you have just reminded me that my dinner is in the oven - I could well have forgotten it.....

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By User deleted
01st Oct 2012 19:29

Surely Shirley ...

... cooking a meal is a single task?

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By User deleted
01st Oct 2012 19:34

And actually ...

... it is almost impossible to do a well timed meal in a microwave if you are cooking for more than one.

That's why God invented slow cookers and casseroles :oP

 

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Replying to Mick Milne:
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By Cloudcounter
02nd Oct 2012 11:54

Not just the slow cooker

Old Greying Accountant wrote:

... it is almost impossible to do a well timed meal in a microwave if you are cooking for more than one.

That's why God invented slow cookers and casseroles :oP

 

 

He also invented the oven to keep things warm while you microwave the next item.  :-)

 

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By User deleted
02nd Oct 2012 17:42

You must be rich ...

... if you can afford to run the oven and the microwave at the same time!

I always think, by teh time you've faffed around like that it is as quick to cook stuff properly

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