Managing Chaos: Tools to Set Priorities and Make Decisions Under Pressure

Welcome to chaos—otherwise known as the world in which we all work today. Attend this seminar and get proven solutions for managing chaos and minimizing its negative impact. First, you’ll discover how you can harness the energy of a dynamic, though often chaotic, work environment and avoid feeling overwhelmed when things start to spin out of control. You’ll learn a variety of tools that will help you re-think the way you approach chaos and enable you to leverage resources to help you tackle challenging situations as they arise. Gain hands-on experience applying tools for setting priorities and adjusting to shifting demands with greater clarity. Practice techniques for analyzing and resolving problems and learn to strategically communicate your solutions. You’ll leave confident and ready to apply the most appropriate techniques to clarify, alleviate and eliminate chaos within your control—and better manage your reactions to the chaos beyond your control.

• Identify positive outcomes from chaotic environments
• Clarify and leverage or eliminate chaos within your control
• Set priorities for all your activities
• Focus and act decisively when priorities shift
• Use tools to problem-solve and select a course of action
• Manage interruptions and conflicts with greater ease
• Communicate your needs strategically

• Welcome to chaos: examining sources of chaos
• Describing the effects of change on managers and employees
• Defining personal and group goals in a chaotic environment
• Identifying chaos within your control
• Examining and selecting tools for planning priorities
• Identifying root causes of problems/issues
• Generating creative solutions to problems
• Organizing ideas to firmly grasp a problem’s critical components
• Creating a daily action plan
• Implementing best practices for time management
• Managing interruptions and distractions
• Implementing best practices for improving your influencing communications
• Applying tools and techniques to resolve case scenarios developed in the class
• Using influencing tactics in conversations
• Identifying tools and developing a plan to manage your workplace chaos

Learning Objectives

• Define the Chaos That You Can Control
• Make Decisions Based on a Multifaceted Analysis of the Problem
• Prioritize Your Activities Based on Importance and Urgency
• Practice Assertive Communication to Manage Shifting Priorities
• Identify One or Two Tools Most Applicable to Your Situation

Welcome to Chaos

• Examine Sources of Chaos
• Describe the Effects of Change on Managers and Employees
• Define Personal and Group Goals in a Dynamic Environment
• Identify Chaos Within Your Control

Priority-Planning and Decision-Making Tools

• Examine and Select Tools for Planning Priorities
• Identify Root Causes of Problems or Issues
• Manage Competing Priorities
• Generate Creative Solutions to Problems
• Organize Ideas to Firmly Grasp a Problem’s Critical Components

Planning Daily Work

• Create a Daily Action Plan for Completion of the Most Important Priorities
• Implement Best Practices for Time Management
• Manage Interruptions and Distractions

Influencing Others

• Identify Your Communication’s Purpose
• Understand Your Audience
• Craft Your Message to Appeal to Your Audience
• Implement Best Practices for Improving Your Influencing Communications

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Define the Chaos That You Can Control
• Make Decisions Based on a Multifaceted Analysis of the Problem
• Determine the Order of Tasks Based on Importance and Urgency
• Practice Assertive Communication to Manage Shifting Priorities
• Identify One or Two Tools That Are Most Applicable to the Situation

LESSON ONE

Welcome to Chaos

• Ask Questions to Determine the Impact of Organizational Challenges on Both Managers and Employees
• Identify the Sources of Chaos That Managers and Employees Can Reduce, Clarify, or Eliminate

 Problem Solving

• Generate Multiple Creative Ideas Quickly
• Identify the Real/Root Causes of a Problem or Issue
• Organize a Large Number of Ideas into Natural Groupings in Order to Understand a Problem
• Choose a Tool to Address the Chaos from the Case Study

LESSON TWO

Priority Planning and Decision Making

• Analyze Four Aspects of a Situation or of Team Capability as a Way to Determine Priorities
• Identify How to Close the Gap Between the Current Situation/Problem and the Desired Situation/Solution
• Evaluate Risk with the Use of Three Questions
• Use the Priority Matrix to Determine Activities to Support Your Decision

LESSON THREE

Planning Daily Work

• Establish a Daily Plan for Completion of the Most Important Priorities
• Accurately Estimate How Long It Takes to Do Things
• Differentiate Between “Necessary” and Unnecessary” Interruptions

Communication Skills for Managing Chaos

• Define Assertive and Strategic Communication
• Respond Assertively and Strategically When Priorities Shift or Conflict
• Develop an “I” Statement to Use When Provoked or When Presented with a Difficult Situation
• Complete a Task Despite Changes, Interruptions, and Chaos

LESSON FOUR

Communication Skills for Managing Chaos (cont’d)

• Define Assertive and Strategic Communication
• Respond Assertively and Strategically When Priorities Shift or Conflict
• Develop an “I” Statement to Use When Provoked or When Presented with a Difficult Situation
• Complete a Task Despite Changes, Interruptions, and Chaos