5 Things Good Managers do to Stay Organised

 We all know the frustration of searching for that crucial piece of information or losing files without a single trace. In today’s digital age, no amount of organisation can guarantee that you will be able to find everything, but being organised can save you a significant amount of time. As a manager, you will need to create an impression of being well-organized on top of operating at high efficiency.

Here are 5 things good managers do to stay organised:

 1. Provide updates

Deliver on your promises. If you say that you are going to do something, either do it immediately or keep the other party informed about your progress on getting the task done. Do not let others have a chance to nag or probe at whether you have achieved progress on your work. If you are working on a project with colleagues from another department or external vendors, set expectations early in the project and agree on common deadlines.

 2. Confirm key information

When someone gives you important information, repeat it to confirm accuracy and demonstrate your understanding. All too often, problems arise due to lack of communication or misinterpreting information.  Examples include the date and time of meetings, the name and contact number of a project mate and the timeline for projects. Managers who are well-organized tend to nail down specifics rather than settle for ambiguity. They will whip out their smart phones and personal organisers to store and organize data which they can retrieve easily.

 3. Maintain a tidy office

We often see busy professionals such as lawyers and accountants accumulate files on their work desk. But as managers, the image of a messy office with piles of work lying around could lead employees to think that you are struggling to handle your work commitments. This could influence the way your employees respond to your authority. Clean up your work desk at least once a day.  A tidy workspace will make your office space a happier and healthier place to work in.

 4. Post your whereabouts

While it is not necessary to share your calendar with all your employees, it is helpful to let them know your availability. It can be quite discerning if employees do not know whether you are coming in for work or going on leave. Let your employees know the convenient timings to approach you throughout the workday so that they can come to you for work issues. If your job position requires to travel to various locations, post a schedule of the times you are in the office and let employees know how best to contact you if you are away.

 5. Use productivity tools

Your smartphone can do so much more with the million of apps available. There are apps that can help you arrange meetings, keep track of emails, plan your travel and build your daily calendar. Since most of us bring our smartphones with us everywhere, it is easily the most convenient organisational device in your pocket. In addition, most of us either manage a team or work on one and we know how communication can break down in big teams and leave anyone of us fumbling at the most critical moments. There are work related special tools that promotes inter-office messaging, schedules meetings and agendas and display everyone’s daily schedule for collaboration. Using one or some of these tools allows you to keep track of everyone’s progress on their work without appearing like a manager who is micromanaging.