How to become a better Manager by using Checklists
Checklists can make all the difference to you achieving success in management. Think of the manager who always seems to have his finger on the pulse, is on top of his workload and never seems to forget what needs to be done and by when.
All this is no accident. The manager in question just happens to be in control and research has shown that over 90% of these managers work from a daily checklist.
So why should a daily checklist be so important?
1. Checklists help you perform complex tasks consistently and with high quality
It may seem silly to spend time making a list of how to complete a task you do frequently, but such checklists can save you time and ensure that you complete the task fully and with consistent quality. That, in turn, gives you more time to get other important things done.
The more complex the task, the more useful a checklist becomes
A well-designed checklist promotes consistent quality irrespective of who is doing the work and can be used to detect and correct common errors and problems quickly and effectively.
2. Checklists can help you “re-engineer” your work processes
Most of us follow certain processes as part of doing our work. A work process is a series of steps that you take to produce a result, from beginning to end and most of them have inefficiencies and unnecessary steps built into them.
The thing is, most people never stop to think about these processes, and as a result they never improve them.
When you create a checklist and detail the steps you need to take to produce an outcome, you will constantly reveal to yourself the work processes that you are using. This approach helps you to streamline your thinking.
Once you are aware of process, you can “reengineer” the steps you are taking to make process more efficient and the outcome more effective. For example, you can take out unnecessary steps that may have provided value before but are no longer necessary.
You can often streamline these processes by consolidating different parts or rearranging the order of steps. Use your creativity and imagination to think about and find better ways of getting to the same result.
Ask yourself, “What am I ultimately trying to accomplish?” and “Is there a better way to do this?”
Since checklists CAN encourage mindless behaviour, you need to be aware and avoid blindly following a checklist without using your common sense.
Use the checklist to help you avoid forgetting to do something important, NOT as an excuse to do your work without thinking. Reviewing and reengineering your checklists regularly can help you avoid that problem.
3. Checklists prevent error’s mistakes and rework
Checklists also save you time by keeping you from having to fix mistakes, correct errors or having to do a task over again.
For example, if you frequently have to create a complex report using a special computer program, you could make a checklist detailing how to do so. That way you wouldn’t waste precious time trying to remember or figure it out each time you have to do it.
Checklists also come in handy if someone else has to do your job in your absence. Instead of having to ask around or guess how to do things, they would have step-by-step instructions to follow. While they might not breeze through the task like you do, a good checklist would be a big help.
So why not start using a checklist today and watch your effectiveness grow!