I recently got a call from one of my people, you know the one…“It’s so & so, call me back.”  No detail information – it is a Time Suck Death Trap waiting to happen.

Here is how I handled it; you might want to take note.  This little tidbit could save you about 10 productive hours in a week – or open up an entire day to play golf or spend time with your family.

I responded via email from my phone:

“Got your message, I am tied up but please shoot me the details of how I can help and I will see what I can do. “(I like the cell phone email, since it says it is from my mobile device – Busy Busy Busy – or at least that is what I want people that Suck Time to think.)

Here is the email that came back:

“It would be helpful for me to get together with you both to get some clarity on some questions that I have and to make sure I’m operating on the same page that you are.

I’m tied up with appts on Wednesday and I understand from Susan that Jonathan’s day is packed on Thursday.  Could we get together on Friday morning?  I have to meet this weekend’s client on site in downtown Raleigh on Friday at 2pm.   If Friday does not work, please give me some alternate times that work for you both.”

Nice message – for someone that is obviously busy I would think that another meeting would just make things harder and the work day longer.

My Response:

“I say have a conversation with Susie (the person’s direct supervisor) and see what you can get knocked out.  Then let’s schedule a call – 30 minutes – no one has to waste time or money traveling, we keep it concise and make it real productive.

Let me know when you have 30 minutes after you have spoken to Susie.  I can fit 30 minutes in any day.

Please send me an agenda in advance.”

Thank you

Jonathan

It appears that a meeting will be avoided, at least a long one.

Here is where this all stems from…

I am re-reading the book by Dan Kennedy called “No BS Time Management for Entrepreneurs – the Ultimate No Holds Barred Kick Butt Take No Prisoners Guide To Time Productivity & Sanity”. I recommend it for every business owner or entrepreneur.

I am so intune with the value of my time that I frankly cannot afford to make a simple conversation a 2 hour ordeal.  It is just like the analysis of slicing, dicing, chopping in a restaurant – you cannot make real money in this business doing the work of an $8 or $10 employee – You simply cannot make $100,000 a year doing $10 an hour work – the math doesn’t work – not enough hours in a day, week, month or year (do the math – it is impossible).

Your Time is valuable and the people around you, especially the ones that work for you need to understand and respect that.  It is their Job to keep you on the big ticket items – Generating Sales and Marketing, of course.

Let’s analyze a meeting for a quick second:

• Everyone travels for 30 minutes (to and from, even longer considering you have to get to and from your car)
• it takes 10 minutes to get through the social graces and settling in.
• Someone is usually late
• The people you are paying meander when not focused
• Food ads time – You can’t talk with your mouth full

I think a lot of meetings could be avoided saving a ton of time and money, if not avoided – more focused and productive.

Sometimes, a live meeting is necessary such as an introductory client meeting, or one that something actually has to be visual or selected from a physical sample.  If it’s going to aid in your company’s income, go for it.  But…

A well organized, concise phone meeting can very often save hours upon hours of time!

Some of that time can be used to get better prepared for a necessary meeting or follow-up.  Imagine if you didn’t have to drive; that time could be so productive. Or even better it could be used to claim back some personal time.

The bottom line:  Value your own time (time Integrity), Teach Others to value their time and yours, and for the love of all things good, if you have a person that continually sucks your time and they don’t get it and will not change – GET RID OF THEM – You will save a fortune and have more freedom, guaranteed!

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