Productivity Hack: Compartmentalize™ to Align Team Energy

Does this situation sound familiar? The Leader or Visionary peppers the team with idea after idea. The team attempts to tackle all “urgent” ideas while the Visionary keeps adding to their list. Everyone ends up frazzled and frustrated. Is there a better way? Use this productivity hack: Compartmentalize ideas to align team energy.

What Is Compartmentalizing?

Compartmentalization labels your ideas and issues. Then you sort each into the appropriate compartment to determine the what, when, and how. This tool will help you manage your massive workload to execute better, become more efficient, and focus your team’s energy.

Work together with your team to sort everything into one of four compartments: 1 Year, 90 Day, 7 Day, or Issues. When finished,  your team will know which priorities need to get done and when.

Get Started

Meet with your team to review all your ideas and issues. Ask yourselves:

• Does this need to get done this year?
• Does this need to get done this quarter?
• Does this need to get done this week?
• Do we need to discuss this idea, opportunity, or issue more at a future Annual or Quarterly Meeting?

Now you’re ready to sort all ideas into one of the four categories:

1. 1 Year

If you determine this action should rank as one of the top priorities for the year, it’ll become a goal on your Vision/Traction Organizer™. Your company or department will plan to accomplish three to seven goals in a year.

2. 90 Days

If determined as a top priority for the quarter, it will become a Rock. The department and each team member will complete three to seven Rocks each quarter.

3. 7 Days

The assigned team member completes To-Dos in one week before the next Level 10 Meeting™ or Same Page Meeting™. The assignee reports the task as simply “done” or “not done” during the To-Do List portion of the meeting. If marked as not done, the assignee will complete the To-Do within the following week.

4. Issues

The remainder become Issues, unresolved problems, opportunities, or ideas. Sort them into two Issues Lists: short-term (can be resolved or should be discussed within 90 days) or long-term (not something to discuss until the next Quarterly Meeting).

Resolve short-term issues during the Identify, Discuss, and Solve™  portion of your Level 10 or Same Page Meetings. Add long-term issues to the V/TO to IDS at an upcoming Quarterly or Annual Meeting.

Compartmentalization provides the structure to execute great ideas and resolve every issue your company will ever face. The idea-generators on your team will feel valued for the ideas they bring to the table. This tool encourages others to add their ideas to the conversation as well. Everyone works better together with clear priorities.