Taking Ownership and

Optimizing Productivity
Objectives
Learn the importance of taking ownership of your job

Learn the importance of following company rules,

policies, procedures

Learn how to become more productive

Taking Ownership
It All Begins With Attitude
Attitude
Your mood, your outlook, the way you feel about
yourself, the way you get along with others

A good attitude
Cooperative
Positive
Likable
Put Your Attitude to Work
A positive attitude is the key to success and job
satisfaction
People don’t want to work with somebody who is
negative or hard to get along with

It is easy to show your attitude through your work

habits
Put Your Attitude to Work
Good attitude creates good habits
Following work rules, policies, and procedures
 Create structure and equality at work
 Promotes a safe working environment

Taking ownership of your work and decisions

 Responsibility to someone or for some activity
 Accountability

 Thinking like “the owner”

Put Your Attitude to Work
A person with a bad attitude
Does what they want
Does not care about their job
End up losing their job
What’s Your Attitude
Let’s do the exercise on pages 15 & 16 of your booklet.
Optimizing Productivity
Stay Employable
Once you’re in a job, you have to keep it.
Not always as easy as it sounds

Employer’s put emphasis on productivity

The first ones to be let go are the ones not working to
capacity

Productivity
Effective production of goods and services
Getting a lot done in as short a time as possible and
making sure the work is done right the first time
Start with the Basics
Getting a job and keeping a job are two different
things
Learn to be productive

How do you make yourself productive?

Basic Expectations
What were you hired to do?
Review what you were told when you were hired

Go over your job description

Make sure you are doing what the boss wants you to
do
Ask Questions
Asking questions
Lets you be clear about what to do and how to do it
 “I want to be sure I understand…”
Gives you extra confidence that you’re doing the job
right
Shows your supervisor that you care
Shows your co-workers that you’re trying

There’s no such thing as a foolish question just

foolish mistakes
What Takes Priority?
Priority
What should be done first, what should be done next,
and so on

Prioritize the things you need to get done

What is most important?
What is not essential?
Know How To Do It
You can’t be really productive unless you know what
you are doing
Ask someone if you don’t know, your questions show
that you’re trying
After you’ve been told, practice

Confidence, speed, and output increase greatly once

you know what you are doing
…And Then Keep Going
Once you know what you are doing, keep going
Productivity needs to keep rising
Go beyond the basics
You’re changes for a better job improve
Do’s for Productivity
Go looking for more work to do
“What else would you like me to do?”
Shows initiative – the ability to think or act without
being told to do so
Prevents repetition or boredom
Adds to your skills
Gains cooperation on the part of your employer
Do’s for Productivity
Have other activities in mind if you’ve completed all
your regular work

Offer to help others

Co-workers are a team and should count on each other
Make sure your job doesn’t suffer

Group similar tasks together

Don’t go to the copier ten times, bunch it together
Do’s for Productivity
Change habits so you become more productive
Ask co-workers how they do it
Make changes in your workday schedule

Keep your goal in mind

Pay attention to time

Keep track of how long it takes you to do something
Learn how to pick up the pace if your productivity is
low
Set goals and time limits
Do’s for Productivity
Stay on track
Identify urgent tasks by asking yourself:
 Is this a crisis?
 Is it a pressing problem?
 Is it necessary to meet a deadline?

Identify important tasks by asking yourself:

 Will doing this make me prepared to do something that I
have to do later?
 Will doing this task help me prevent a problem?
 Will doing this task help someone else get something doone
that is their highest priority?
 Will it make our work easier?
Do’s of Productivity
Stay on track – continued
Identify low priority tasks by asking yourself:
 Can I do this another time when there is little else to do?
Identify unimportant tasks
 These tasks keep you from being productive

Make lists
A list organizes your mind and your work
Helps you prioritize
Gives you a sense of accomplishment as you cross
things off
Do’s of Productivity
Take advantage of every opportunity to learn
Learning is a kind of productivity
Makes you more valuable to the company

Pat yourself on the back

Look at what you’ve done and give yourself a
compliment

Think ahead
Do’s of Productivity
Keep a positive attitude
Problems will cut into your productivity
Work around a problem
Don’ts of Productivity
Don’t use work time for personal relaxation

Don’t bring personal issues to work

Leave your personal life at the door

Don’t waste time gossiping

Don’t smoke on the job

Can amount to too many breaks
Don’ts of Productivity
Don’t work in a messy workspace
Messy workspace practically guarantees lower
productivity
Makes you look unorganized and not in control
Can never find anything when you need it

Don’t complain, whine, or bad-mouth the company

If you have an issue, take it to someone who can do
something about it
The Workplace is for Work
Except for breaks, everything you do at work should
be part of your job
Don’t use work time for personal things

When you’re doing personal things, you’re not being

productive for the company.
You’re not earning your keep.
The Workplace is for Work
After you finish all your work, don’t think you can do
what you want to do.
Shows that you don’t have enough to do or that your
job is not necessary
Remain productive
Exercise
Let’s do the exercise on page 16 of your booklet.
Conclusion
The right attitude about your job will make you more
successful.

A good attitude will lead to wanting to be a good

employee
Following procedures
Taking responsibility for your actions and decisions
Being more productive