Assign tasks efficiently!
Article#: 00026
Date: 2020-08-15
Author: Radim
The quality of the task result depends not only on the assigned people, but above all on the task orderer.
If the task is not assigned properly, it cannot be carried out properly.
The input determines the output. ("Shit in, shit out.")
First, gather and organize your thoughts so that the task makes sense and you know exactly what goal you want to achieve with the task.
"Those who do not know their goal will not find the way." - Christian Morgenstern
Pick the right people for the task with regard to their availability, skills and interests.
Explain the task.
Go into sufficient detail.
Emphasize WHY the task is important and WHAT the expected result is.
Discuss possible solutions together, and don't just insist on yours.
Let people tackle the work in the way they feel is best. (Let them start thinking for themselves and not just blindly following your commands.)
The assigned person has to take full responsibility for the task.
Together with the assigned people, create a mutually agreed schedule with milestones.
Define deadlines that are reasonable enough to be achieved, but tight enough to be inspiring.
Summarize the scope of the task, the goals, the schedule and the responsibilities in an email so that the agreed points can be looked at again later.
Provide the necessary documents, resources and training.
Offer adequate support and be available to answer questions.
Occasionally check the work and give feedback.
It gives you an insight into the progress and gives the assigned people the opportunity to bring up any questions or obstacles that have arisen.
Take the time to review all the work submitted.
Accept only good quality and a fully accomplished task.
Recognize and reward the effort.
Don't forget to say thank you!
© Radim-Automation, 2020–2025. All rights reserved.
Sharing of this article is permitted with proper attribution (link to the original page).
Related previous articles:
- Don't replace employees in the middle of the project!
- Develop a sense of responsibility!
- Understand - Agree - Be Identified - Believe
- From an idea to a consistent system
Related next articles:
- Ask questions!
- Get and stay in the flow!
- Keep the answers to the question "Why"
- Write a project diary!
- I can see what you can not see
- Store email messages in the project folder!
- Do you really want to start with this?
- Prepare a good project plan and keep it up to date!
- HMI and PLC applications should grow together
- Write down your best practices and processes!
- Set your goals for today, tommorow, this week ...
- Are the people planned for this task really available?
- Appoint a representative!
- Who knows it?
- Write and accept only readable code!
- Why do automation projects fail?
- Project leader
- Learn from your journey!
- My boss was a hero
- Make backups, make small changes and test a lot
- Dedicated employees
- An irreplaceable employee
- Hidden dangers during commissioning
- The false illusion of rapid progress
Comment#: 00001
Date: 2021-05-04
User: Radim
"Nothing "makes us happy" more than when we can repeatedly prove our uniqueness."
- www.comforce-ctc.com
Comment#: 00002
Date: 2021-06-15
User: Radim
If an expert has to do the task exactly the way you want, he suddenly loses the expert title because he cannot apply his methodology.
Comment#: 00003
Date: 2022-07-01
User: Radim
"If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough."
- Albert Einstein
Comment#: 00004
Date: 2022-07-12
User: Radim
The order must be:
1. clear
2. realistic
3. time bound
4. free of contradiction
5. measurable, verifiable
6. result-oriented
Comment#: 00005
Date: 2022-10-22
User: Radim
"Why are you doing this? Ever find yourself working on something without knowing exactly why? Someone just told you to do it. It's pretty common, actually. That's why it's important to ask why you're working on ______. What is this for? Who benefits? What's the motivation behind it? Knowing the answers to these questions will help you better understand the work itself."
- Jason Fried, David Heinemeier Hansson. 37signals (2010). Rework.
Comment#: 00006
Date: 2022-10-22
User: Radim
"ASAP is poison!
Stop saying ASAP. We get it. It's implied. Everyone wants things done as soon as they can be done.
When you turn into one of these people who adds ASAP to the end of every request, you're saying everything is high priority. And when everything is high priority, nothing is. (Funny how everything is a top priority until you actually have to prioritize things.)
ASAP is inflationary. It devalues any request that doesn't say ASAP. Before you know it, the only way to get anything done is by putting the ASAP sticker on it.
Most things just don't warrant that kind of hysteria. If a task doesn't get done this very instant, nobody is going to die. Nobody's going to lose their job. It won't cost the company a ton of money. What it will do is create artificial stress, which leads to burnout and worse.
So reserve your use of emergency language for true emergencies. The kind where there are direct, measurable consequences to inaction. For everything else, chill out."
- Jason Fried, David Heinemeier Hansson. 37signals (2010). Rework.
Comment#: 00007
Date: 2023-03-08
User: Radim
Do you know what AI means? Yes, AI means Artificial Intelligence...
And do you know what AE means? Well, AE means Artificial Engagement. You can observe AE in organizations where the shared vision is not clear and where leadership is not concerned with driving the vision into reality. In the organization with AE everyone is somehow busy, but it doesn't help on the way to the realistic goal (to realizing the vision).
Comment#: 00008
Date: 2023-07-25
User: Radim
"Yes, it absolutely makes sense for the boss to ask employees how they would solve a problem. In fact, it is a highly beneficial and strategic management approach for several reasons:
1. Employee Empowerment: When the boss asks employees for their input on problem-solving, it empowers them and shows that their opinions and expertise are valued. This can boost their confidence and motivation, leading to increased job satisfaction and a stronger sense of ownership over their work.
2. Enhanced Problem-Solving: Employees at various levels of the organization bring diverse perspectives and insights. By involving them in the process, the boss can tap into a collective intelligence that can lead to more comprehensive and innovative solutions.
3. Higher Engagement and Morale: Employees are more engaged and committed to their work when they feel that their voices are heard and their ideas are considered. This heightened engagement can positively impact overall team morale and productivity.
4. Building Trust and Collaboration: Seeking input from employees fosters a culture of trust and collaboration. It encourages open communication and breaks down hierarchical barriers, enabling a more cooperative work environment.
5. Identifying Strengths and Skill Development: Asking for employee input can help the boss identify individual strengths and skills within the team. It provides opportunities for employees to showcase their abilities and may lead to their professional development.
6. Better Decision-Making: Involving employees in problem-solving can lead to better decision-making. It allows the boss to access a wider range of information and insights, reducing the likelihood of making hasty or uninformed choices.
7. Adapting to Change: Employees who are involved in the problem-solving process are more likely to embrace changes resulting from the chosen solution. This is because they feel a sense of ownership over the decision and are more invested in its success.
8. Continuous Improvement: Encouraging employees to participate in solving problems promotes a culture of continuous improvement. It fosters a proactive approach to addressing issues and challenges, which can lead to long-term organizational growth.
Overall, asking employees how they would solve a problem is not only sensible but also a strategic and effective leadership practice. It can lead to increased collaboration, employee satisfaction, and improved problem-solving outcomes for the organization as a whole."
- https://chat.openai.com (Does it make sense for the boss to ask the employees how they would solve the problem?)
Comment#: 00009
Date: 2023-08-11
User: Radim
"How to eliminate fifty percent of your business worries.
Everyone who wishes to present a problem to me must first prepare and submit a memorandum answering these four questions:
1. What is the problem?
2. What is the cause of the problem?
3. What are all the possible solutions of the problem?
4. What solution do you suggest?
My associates rarely come to me now with their problems. Why? Because they've discovered that in order to answer those four questions, they have to get all the facts and think their problems through. And they've done that, they find in three-fourths of the the cases they don't have to consult me at all because the proper solution has popped out like a piece o fbread popping up from an electric toaster. Even in those cases where consultation is snecessary the discussion takes about one-third of the time formely required because it proceeds along an orderly, logical path to a reason conclusion."
- Dale Carnegie. Crescent News (1944). How to Stop Worrying and Start Living.
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKzlc_N2yxw (01:07:50 - 01:09:53)
Comment#: 00010
Date: 2023-08-11
User: Radim
"Basic techniques in analysing worry:
Rule 1 - get the fact. Half the worry in the wold is caused by people trying to make decisions before they have sufficient knowledge on which to base a decision.
Rule 2 - after carefully weighing all the facts come to a decision.
Rule 3 - once a decision is carefully reached, act, get busy carrying out your decision and dismiss all enxiety about the outcome.
Rule 4 - when you or any of your associates are tempted to worry about a problem, write out and anser the following questions:
a) What is the problem?
b) What is the cause of the problem?
c) What are all possible solutions?
d) What is the best solution?"
- Dale Carnegie. Crescent News (1944). How to Stop Worrying and Start Living.
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKzlc_N2yxw (01:12:50 - 01:13:50)
Comment#: 00011
Date: 2023-08-18
User: Radim
"Don't dig deep into anything because it costs us money. Just pretend that we are experts and hope that the others gets the chestnuts out of the fire."
- unnamed user (own experiences leading to this ironic statement)
Comment#: 00013
Date: 2023-08-25
User: Radim
"We all have ideas. Ideas are immortal. They last forever.
What doesn't last forever is inspiration. Inspiration is like fresh fruit or milk: It has an expiration date.
If you want to do something, you've got to do it now. You can't put it on a shelf and wait two months to get around to it. You can't just say you'll do it later. Later, you won't be pumped up about it anymore.
If you're inspired on a Friday, swear off the weekend and dive into the project. When you're high on inspiration, you can get two weeks of work done in twenty-four hours. Inspiration is a time machine in that way.
Inspiration is a magical thing, a productivity multiplier, a motivator. But it won't wait for you. Inspiration is a now thing. If it grabs you, grab it right back and put it to work."
- Jason Fried, David Heinemeier Hansson. 37signals (2010). Rework.
Comment#: 00014
Date: 2023-10-04
User: Radim
"Never discourage anyone who continually makes progress, no matter how slow."
- Plato
Comment#: 00015
Date: 2023-10-06
User: Radim
"Having the right boss early in your career is a huge blessing."
- Sandeep M.
Comment#: 00016
Date: 2024-01-05
User: Radim
Let's speed things up!
One man needs one hour to dig a hole 1 meter deep, 1 meter wide and 1 meter long. How much time does it take if you engage 10 men?
ChatGPT: "If one man can dig a hole that is 1 meter deep, 1 meter wide, and 1 meter long in one hour, and you have 10 men working simultaneously, you can divide the time by the number of men to find the total time it takes for the group to complete the task.
So, it would take 1 hour / 10 men = 0.1 hours (or 6 minutes) for the group of 10 men to dig the hole."
Do you agree with ChatGPT's answer?
Comment#: 00017
Date: 2024-01-05
User: Radim
I have found the solution !!!
But unfortunately the problem did not match my solution.
:-)