Customer Reviews

The Organized Executive: A Program for Productivity New Ways to Manage TimePaper People and the Electronic Office

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

A well-thought out book/tape that seems oriented to the pre-Internet economy, for example there is a lengthy section on dealing with reports sent on routing lists and the usefulness of paper forms. Does anyone still use these tools when there are better alternatives like Lotus Notes, etc? And executive secretaries are getting scarce, at least in the computer industry, where managers are expected to use Microsoft Word. These tapes are still worth a listen, but quite a bit of creative listening is required and a revised edition would be welcome.

I was promoted at work and inherited a one-person office in which paperwork was simply scooped up and thrown in banker's boxes by the previous management. You can't imagine the chaos. I had few organizational skills of my own (having always just followed someone else's plan), and no assistant. I got this book about the time that I found out I was getting a government audit of these messed-up files in 6 weeks. I would not have a job if it wasn't for this book. It taught me, a first-time manager, how to assess what needed to be done, how to prioritize (I don't have to do all the stressful things first!), how to break down and schedule projects, and how to follow-up with the (non-administrative) employees I have. I got the office and files ready, despite being out one of the weeks with whiplash, and passed the audit with flying colors. This isn't just about what to name your files. My desk is clean, I know where all my files and important papers are, and my reports have been on time. If disorganization is wasting your time, buy this book.

The Organized Executive covers four topics dedicated to managing paperwork, tasks, time and staff. It specifically gives guidelines on planning one's day and setting priorities. It gives scheduling advice and a perspective on how to avoid time wasters. Staff problems from delegation to staff, expectations of staff, and management of staff is covered. The section on managing paperwork is covered first and provides a system for managing paperwork.
"The key to paper management is processing: that is, channeling each piece from your in-box to its appropriate destination." Learning a system that handles paperwork efficiently will result in greater accomplishments, more enjoyment from work, and result in spending fewer hours with paperwork.
Learn the TRAF technique to properly manage paperwork. The first rule in TRAF, before you can use this system, is to READ THE PAPERWORK. Use the following technique on every single piece of paperwork:

TOSS: "Man's best friend, aside from a dog, is the wastebasket," says Business Week. Ask yourself, "What is the worst thing that can happen if I toss this out?

REFER: Delegate paperwork to a staffer or others that are more qualified or trained to deal with the paperwork. Follow-up on paperwork that you delegate.

ACT: Use an action folder to ensure that items that need attention are together in one location. Later, this folder can be prioritized.

FILE: For items that can not be delegated or require action, but can not be discarded immediately, should be filed. Mark this filed paperwork with a discard date to know when the paperwork can be successfully tossed.

I bought this book thinking it would be just another book on cleaning out your mess type of talk. I've been there and done that, but seeing some of the content first I realized there was more to it. I have gotten several tips from the book that will help me a lot. For example, having a file for a staff meeting to collect ideas of things to talk about for an agenda. The only problem is that the book is very centered around filing and paper, and not enough on the electronic systems. Everything mentioned with regards to paper files can be used on a computer as well, but I think this book needs yet another update to get into more details. Overall, I really liked this book, must be a compulsion for organization on my part!

I've started applying several tips that appear "common sense" in retrospect - planning your day the evening before, scheduling at most two intense-thinking tasks in my more productive hours, scheduling at most ten tasks per day, planning itenerary to combine several closely located tasks and minimizing backtrack. Generally raises your awareness of work habits - so, you realize opportunities for improvement. You will need to adapt some of the tips if you use PC quite a bit.

Even if you are an accomplished executive, take a few moments to browse the pages of this organizational classic. In short, this book is everything a time-management system should be; it suggests scores of simple-to-implement strategies that can quickly improve your efficiency and effectiveness. This revised edition has been updated to incorporate electronic advances, even if some of the tools mentioned have already been rendered obsolete. We [...] recommend this book to anyone who has ever complained about having too much work or too little time.

The cover claims that the book has been "revised and updated for the digital age," but Winston's information on technological tools is both superficial and already dated. The term, "PDA," does not even appear in the index.

Whether you are totally unorganized or not, you are bound to find this book useful. I consider myself to be fairly organized and I found many valuable nuggets of information here. This book is to the point, easy to follow and written for the reader. Want to optimize your work day? Get this book.

The 1980s book is continually updated. Stephanie Winston, also author of Getting Organized, presents a wealth of ideas for managing time, paper, and people more effectively. While she offers sound time- and task-management skills such as "the art of organization," "effective filing techniques," and other ways to promote efficiency, the book is packed with charts, exhibits, and "systems" and hence requires energetic readers.

It does not address the mental/spiritual aspects of staying organized and in control -- something readers want and, more importantly, need.

I first listened to these tapes in 1994 or so, and they were very helpful then. I return to them every so often to remind myself of the techniques and ideas. Little of "office life" is left untouched: file organization, interacting with staff, managing crisis in your day. The examples are real world and helpful, and she reviews the important points at the end of each section. I liked this so much, that I bought the paperback (for a whopping $6 or so) in 1995. The tapes and the book work well together. You might want to consider getting both. You will not be wasting your money.