How can you prioritize deadlines when working on multiple projects?

Considero todo o conteúdo do texto valioso, porém, é crucial obter uma compreensão mais abrangente do propósito da empresa, do seu papel como parte de um ecossistema e dos principais elementos a serem transformados. Analisar acertos e erros do passado enriquece essa compreensão, fundamentando uma visão mais clara do futuro desejado. Ao integrar-se efetivamente ao ecossistema, é possível elaborar um planejamento pessoal para contribuição coletiva. Embora possa surgir a identificação de áreas, processos, estratégias para melhorias, é vital reconhecer que cada elemento teve sua razão de existir. A modificação desses elementos deve ser guiada por uma avaliação conjunta, priorizando em ordem o que mais impulsiona o alcance do propósito.

When I worked at Proximus, we introduced the concept of "blue chips and white chips" to set priorities. As in poker, let's say the blue chips are worth 5 and the white chips are worth 1. When tasks or challenges arise you consciously decide which category they fall into. Blue chips are what you want to focus on and the white chips are ideal areas to delegate. What is a white chip for you can be a blue chip for a colleague or people junior to you, and thus a great opportunity for them to gain experience under your guidance.

I like to put all the projects and deadlines on a big whiteboard and visually work through the prioritization process. If there are a lot of team leaders or project managers, after I am organized, I invite them to join me and participate in the decision making process. This also enhances their leadership skills and ability to understand the interconnectedness across projects and organization dynamics.

Think it’s really important to understand where the piece of work to a good degree to enable an assessment of where it fits in the overall committed program of work. Having an idea of the size of the project, what will be the business impact of the project is key to assess whether a new piece of work warrants a complete rework of the endorsed plan. I usually try to sit down with the key stakeholders and work through shifting priorities and what that means for the existing work plan. Can we answer the business questions at least partially with existing work? How does the new work align with Corporate strategy? It’s absolutely Ok to pivot and take on new work, but being deliberate about why, and the trade-offs is crucial.

As a manager, it is also critical to assess the team members to whom the tasks will be delegated. Need to have a full proof process wherein everyone have the clear understanding of their roles and deliverables. Should we backed up with the measurements and the complete involvement of the manager. Because at the end, its a team work.

This aligns nicely with Kübler-Ross 5 stages of Grief, referencing it as a traditional change curve. It today’s increasingly AI augmented enterprises human thoughts and feelings regarding execution of tasks are more and more important. When you share challenges to a project due to competing priorities be prepared for initial feelings of denial, anger and even depression from your leaders. Avoid internalizing these reactions, you are witnessing them processing change and their own complexity. Be patient. Hold space for them. That may seem counterintuitive, however the next stage is “bargaining” which is negotiation. That is your sweet spot to have meaningful dialogue. Remember we are all human. Be kind.

Start by recognising you're working within an organisation with competing priorities and a system inclined towards preservation - not change. Understanding this can help you integrate into more important work programs and successfully negotiate your own deliverables. It can be easier to support existing work, with tweaks to include your outcomes, than begin brand new initiatives. Along the way, be transparent, clearly articulating the work, impact and challenges. By doing this, you also allow others to integrate workstreams and support enterprise-wide prioritisation. You can miss a deadline or deliverable when it's clearly communicated and in support of the enterprise mission. Role modelling an enterprise mindset builds support.

Start from knowing no one can handle a endless list of projects. Work out what are the priorities you would like to see it to end yourself, what are the ones you can delegate to others that you trust, and what are those you have to do because there is no one else to hand it out. This identifies gaps in knowledge sharing and is a good opportunity to bringing in more people into your trust circle.

Brene Brown says ‘Clear is kind, unclear is unkind. The key is to create crystal clear clarity with all the stakeholders. If it’s virtual then communicate 5x Communication is at the heart of everything we do and here is a distinction that has been a game changer in my life . “Expectations vs Agreements” When you move away from having expectations and step into creating powerful agreements with teams and stakeholders, it’s the most courageous way to manage changing scenarios. EXPECTATIONS are cowardly and lead to disappointments. So let’s choose to create agreements as they can be changed as agreed together.

Use your leader, and be specific about it! One of the better things I did when juggling too many priorities was to book regular, 30 min updates with my boss. Be it 1x a week, 2x month or something else, the purpose was the same, To Share and Gather. Share; My Top priorities this week are ..., My Next Steps are ..., Then Ask; How would you rearrange these? What do you know that I need to know? This simple strategy does a few things. Improved clarity on where to put best energy, and often the priorities change! You get you support when needed. You get credit for what is done, and often you get space because your boss does not need to chase you for this information. Last, it gets you focused for the days/weeks to come!

Create a large task analysis (detailed steps) of everything involved in the task. Don't be afraid to put "little" things on there, no matter how small they are things to be done and need to be included. Then time block - add time to your schedule intentionally to work on the project. Set a goal for each of your time blocks and work on it regularly and consistently. You won't feel overwhelmed because the task is spread out over time and you'll build momentum by accomplishing your smaller goals each day.

There are three things to consider with any project or task: Time, Quality, and Cost. Ask: How long will it take to do this task at this level of quality? Then, adjust time, quality, or cost based on the value / impact the task or project has on the organization. When you must get something done faster, and time is the main lever, then quality must decrease, OR cost must increase. Knowing these levers and tolerance for each at the start of the project helps to be agile in prioritization.

Planifier de déplanifier semble important afin d’être en mesure de s’adapter aux évolutions et imprévus liés au projet. Dédier des temps de « remise en question » et « déconstruction » du planning qui a été établi en amont. Cette technique peut s’avérer utile, et peut être mise en place comme un rituel qui permette de favoriser la prise de recul pour analyser, réajuster au plus proche de ce qu’il s’est déjà passé, afin de mieux répondre au besoin final.

Based on working on over 9,000 strategic projects over the last 30 years, I can say scheduling is so much about time that I rarely find anything else that controls what gets done. The time available from the key players on a project is seldom considered when assessing priorities, but it will absolutely determine what gets done and when it gets done. Effective teams should budget and spend their time at least as carefully as they budget and spend money.

Determine task dependencies: Identify any tasks that are dependent on others. If one task must be completed before another can begin, prioritize them accordingly to maintain a smooth workflow. Assess task complexity: Consider the complexity and time required for each task within a project. Prioritize tasks that are more time-consuming or require specialized skills.

Na minha experiencia pude perceber que dois fatores são fundamentais para conseguir delegar tarefas: primeiro é confiar nas pessoas; segundo é aprender a desapegar da sua forma de fazer as coisas. As duas coisas se complementam pois, se eu confiar verdadeiramente em alguém eu conseguirei dar a ele "o direito de ser diferente de mim" e fazer coisas do jeito dele. Quando eu delego uma tarefa costumo dizer: "faça do seu jeito, desde que dê certo".

Delegating is easy if You well collaborate with people and understand their strengths and preferences. Otherwise may not be successful.

Hay que dejar los egos de lado, no siempre eres el que mejor lo haces. Delegar en tu equipo, te fortalece como responsable si lo haces con jerarquía.

Delegating can be challenging, I know. That's why it's important to focus not on teaching others to do things exactly as you would, but rather on guiding them and leveraging their individual skills to allow the project to scale and succeed.

Die Definition der Rollen und die Verteilung der Aufgaben muss von Anfang an klar kommuniziert und immer wieder nachgeschärft werden! Projektteams können sich verändern, Aufgabenschwerpunkte verschieben oder Anforderungen hinzukommen. Hieraus ergibt sich eine mögliche Verschiebung der Rollenverteilung und der Aufgaben. Wird dies im Projektteam nicht offen kommuniziert, können Missverständnisse entstehen und Konflikte resultieren, die den Erfolg des Projektes einschränken.

Nunca fique preso à uma estratégia. Sempre haverá correção de rota, e você tem que ter a habilidade tanto de se adaptar à nova rota quanto o liderar a equipe para que ela sinta o mínimo possível

Also, it is important to identify any dependencies or interdependencies between projects. Projects that have dependencies on other projects or rely on specific resources may require prioritization to avoid bottlenecks or delays in the overall workflow.

Regular reviews and progress tracking are essential for managing multiple projects effectively. By conducting reviews, you can assess each project's status, identify any issues or bottlenecks, and adjust priorities or resources as needed. Using tools like RAG (Red, Amber, Green) status indicators helps visualize progress and prioritize attention where it's most needed, ensuring efficient project management and timely delivery.

By adopting an agile mindset, you'll understand that reviewing what has been done and readjusting the course are fundamental steps for learning. Continuous learning is a skill we should prioritize in any context.

É comum estar tão inserido em um contexto de trabalho e colocar as coisas em perspectiva nesse processo. Criar um sistema de avaliação semanal e considerar imprevistos (bons ou ruins) te dará mais segurança para fazer mudanças necessárias na agenda de prioridades. Os objetivos e circunstâncias são mutáveis, e as prioridades precisam se adaptar a elas.

In my experience, we need to regularly review and reassess priorities as new information or changes arise. Be flexible and willing to adjust your plans to accommodate unexpected events or shifting priorities. Communicate to wider team on any changes as they arise.

In a fast paced environment, it’s tempting to get into a flow of managing multiple projects and it can feel really good, but be careful you don’t inadvertently burn you or your team out with a pace that is unsustainable. Be purposeful in considering what you’re going to say no to and be intentional in creating a culture where your team can do the same.

In communicating and reprioritizing deliverables and deadlines, portfolio visuals similar to managing R&D pipeline and product portfolio can be very valuable. My favorite is the three buckets visualization: 1st bucket for strategic and long term projects including exploration , 2nd bucket for 6 - 12 month projects with strong business cases and 3rd bucket for acute and critical maintenance “fix it” projects. The idea is to have an agreed maximum and minimum threshold for each bucket. In that way you will not sacrifice the future due to short term pressures or only doing firefighting while never fixing the root causes. Of course you can also use the classic priority matrixes, but the three buckets work for me best.

I used to find it incredibly challenging to zone in on important tasks when needed. Before I realised I was most likely dealing with some form of ADHD, it was difficult to dial down any noise and switch my focus on what I needed to do. After trying a few different techniques, I find that simply blocking out and colour-coding time in my diary for specific tasks like projects, calls, breaks, LinkedIN etc., I'm able to work more productively. I used to feel like I needed to reply to every email or message that popped up immediately. Over time, I've learned that this doesn't serve me or anyone else well. Research shows that frequently switching between tasks or multitasking does not to produce great results and it can harm productivity.

Cuando planificas y organizas tus tareas en un cronograma, surge la necesidad de identificar los recursos que necesitas para llevar a cabo esas tareas, eso incluye el apoyo con el que cuentas: quién puede ayudarte a hacer qué. De ahí que como parte de tu estrategia, requieres comunicarte para conseguir la colaboración; delegar y distribuir entre las personas adecuadas el trabajo a realizar. Las habilidades de comunicación son esenciales para el desarrollo de proyectos, ya que constituyen la base sobre la cual se organiza, dirige y cohesiona el equipo para conseguir el resultado planificado.