My Personal Journey Towards Mastering Task Prioritization & Management ???

Turn chaos into clarity, enhance your communication and prioritization skills.

Discovery ???

When I first took on the role of a Scrum Master, I was sailing into unfamiliar waters. Prior to this, I had experience managing tasks for my own business, but this was the first time I was tasked with guiding a team through this process. The team was often inundated with a multitude of tasks and projects. The lack of suitable management tools led to disorganized workflows, missed deadlines, and a noticeable decrease in overall productivity, negatively impacting team morale and output.

Breakthrough ??

My breakthrough moment came when I realized that individuals often need guidance to complete tasks. This isn't a negative aspect; rather, it signifies the need to ensure that they understand the path you want them to follow. Prior to this, I was always focused on doing what I needed to do, so this realization opened up a whole new world for me that I had to explore. I had to find ways to provide this guidance and support to the teams I was working with.

Execution ??

In my quest to streamline task and project management, I soon realized the need for a robust tool. Being a novice in this field had its pros and cons. On the positive side, my lack of exposure to existing tools allowed me to approach this with a fresh perspective, uninfluenced by poor user experiences or bad practices. However, this inexperience was also a disadvantage as I was unsure of exactly what I was seeking. I dove headfirst into exploring as many tools as I could, critically evaluating each one. It was during this exploration that I discovered Notion, a user-friendly platform that revolutionized how I viewed task and project management. With Notion, I was able to tailor my workspace to perfectly suit my team's needs and working style, creating prioritized to-do lists, setting realistic deadlines, and assigning tasks with ease. This holistic project management solution proved to be the ideal tool for my needs.

A Short Practical Guide ??

1. Setting Up Your Workspace: Start by organizing your workspace in Notion. Create separate sections for each project or department, such as 'Marketing', 'Sales', 'HR', etc. Each section should have its own sub-sections or blocks for specific tasks, documents, or notes. Consider adding instructions and knowledge bases to each section to guide your team members. Utilize AI and automation tools available in Notion to streamline processes, automate repetitive tasks and assist your team. For instance, you can set up AI to remind team members of deadlines or automate task assignment based on team members' workload and expertise.
2. Assigning Tasks: Notion makes it easy to ensure that team members are aware of their tasks, deadlines, and have clear instructions. Begin by assigning each task to an individual using Notion's task assignment feature. Set a clear due date for each task and make sure reminders are sent as the deadline approaches. To help manage workload, prioritize tasks using tags to categorize them based on their urgency and priority, such as 'urgent', 'high-priority', 'low-priority', etc. Be sure to provide a comprehensive briefing for each task that clearly outlines what needs to be done, including instructions, expected outcomes, and any resources needed to complete the task.
3. Encouraging Communication and Feedback: Notion's comment feature on tasks encourages open communication and facilitates timely feedback. A team member working on a task can leave a comment asking for clarification or share an update about their progress. Other team members and project managers can then respond directly on the task, providing instant feedback or answers. This keeps everyone updated, resolves issues promptly and ensures all team members are aligned towards their project goals.
4. Tracking Progress: Use Notion's features to measure and improve your team's progress. Start by labelling each task within Notion as 'Not Started', 'In Progress', 'Completed', etc. This can be done by simply clicking on the task and selecting the appropriate status from the dropdown menu, providing everyone with a clear view of each task's status. Then, utilize the comments feature to enhance open communication. Team members can click on a task and type messages in the comment box for updates, questions, or any relevant information. Regularly review the progress of your tasks and projects. This can be done by navigating to the project or task page and examining the status of each task. The transparency and accountability that Notion provides allow for the identification and resolution of any bottlenecks, ensuring your team is always advancing.

Choosing the Right Tool for Your Team??

Task and project management tools are undeniably essential in a modern workplace. They help streamline workflows, improve communication, and increase overall productivity. However, it's crucial to remember that the choice and usage of these tools can and should vary based on your team's specific needs.

One size does not fit all when it comes to these tools. Your team should be actively involved in the selection and setup process, as it will not only ensure that the tool fits their workflow, but also provide an opportunity for them to better understand their own tasks and the needs of their colleagues.

While Notion is a robust and versatile tool, there are many other applications available such as Trello, Asana, Monday.com , and Jira. These platforms offer a range of features and can be customized to suit your team's unique working style.

The choice of tool should align with your team's requirements and preferences. Consider factors such as ease of use, cost, customer support, and integration capabilities when choosing a tool. It might be helpful to trial a few options before making a final decision.

Remember, the key to successful task and project management lies in clear communication, realistic goal setting, and active progress tracking, regardless of the tools you choose to use.

If you have any questions or need assistance in setting up Notion for your team, don't hesitate to reach out. ???

Stay tuned for more insights and updates on tackling challenges! ?? Follow Niko V. Manoukian and subscribe to #ChangeAtTheHelm: https://lnkd.in/dXkiZyA6 ???

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