. So this inaugural post should address the most important rule there could be. Document everything that goes on within your areas of control, influence, or concern. An exhaustive program of documentation will pay big dividends. In extreme cases, the job you save or the lawsuit you avoid might be your own.Some things to document include:
- Dates and times you and your subordinates started and completed anything from routine tasks to complex projects.
- Time and content of all meetings and training.
- Any request that goes out beyond your authority.
- Notes, good and bad, on your subordinates' performance.
That list is nowhere near exhaustive. Use it as a starting point. Ask yourself if what you are doing will be a recurring task. If it will be, document it so you can show problem areas or progress. If you've ever had a person tell you one thing and do another then you'll understand the need to maintain a phone and email log. I prefer email since it provides a verbatim record.
If you are new at this, I suggest using a journal at first. Basically, it is a daily log of any pertinent facts and notes for each day. At the end of each week summarize the daily entries. At the end of the month summarize the weekly entries. Continue until you have yearly entries. I can't count how many times I had to use my journal to locate obscure notes. Once you are comfortable with journaling you will know which items are general and which to place in separate files.
Microsoft Outlook
is an excellent tool for any leader. Be sure to check the built in tasking, calendaring, and journal functions in addition to email. In future posts, I will break each of these functions down and provide tips on their use. For now, here is an article to get you started with making a simple mailing list. Use this to pass the word to seniors or subordinates. We'll go into how to pass the word in more detail in another post.That's all for now. Thanks for reading. If you didn't already subscribe be sure to check back often.
Technorati Tags: leadership, leadership tips, documentation, journal
Yes, I agreed with the fact that a good leader can understand the value of information. Therefore, we should develop our leadership skills and attitude, in order to get success in life. Most probably, we can also inspire others through our leadership attitude.
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