The Urgent

vs.
The Important
 Introduction
• "I get completely
caught up in fire-
fighting and can't
find the time to
advance my longer-
term priorities."
 Important
• This is a common
lament, the
frustration you feel
when the urgent
crowds out the
important.
Strategies to Handle
The Urgent &
The Important
 Be Clear and Realistic
• The first is being clear and realistic about
your longer-term priorities.
• If you haven't clarified your A-item
priorities, or if you are trying to take on
too much, it's hard to avoid getting
sucked into the black hole.
• Be realistic about the consequences of
your A-item priorities.
 Distinguish Unproductive
& Productive Efforts
• Stay clear in your own mind
about this distinction of the
items above mentioned and
use it to evaluate progress and
the necessary energy and
efforts that you are going to
employ.
 Delegate More
Effectively
• Learn to delegate and
share activities to
decrease your stress
level, allowing you to
reach your deadlines
easily.
 Defend your
Boundaries
• It is important to establish and rigorously
defend your boundaries
• Ask the questions:
– "What is the best use of my time right now?
– How important is this today, how important will it
be three months and six months down the road?"
 Defend your
Boundaries
• If do you have to focus on a fire-
fighting task, set limits on how
much time you will devote to it and
stick to them.
• You have to vigorously protect your
boundaries. No one else will.
 Conclusion
• Think hard about whether you
are part of the problem or part
of the solution.
• Are you unnecessarily driving
the people who work for you
into fire-fighting mode?
 Conclusion
• In many organizations,
the real rules of the
game are that people
are rewarded for solving
problems and not for
preventing them.
Lico Reis Consultoria
& Línguas
Roberto Lico Reis
www.licoreis.com
licoreis@licoreis.com

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