HOW TO END A CONVERSATION

HOW TO END A CONVERSATION

In the book, Organize Your Office, by Ronni Eisenberg, with Kate Kelly (Hyperion, 1998) the following examples are given for ending conversations that threaten to drag on:
"I don’t want to take too much of your time..."
"I know you’re busy. I’ll call you next week with the report..."
"I’ll let you back to..."
"Before we end this conversation..."
"Just one more thing before we hang up..."

THE POWER OF THREE

Jennifer White, a success coach and author of, Work Less, Make More (John Wiley & Sons, 1999) recommends the Power of Three technique for improving productivity. Identify the three most important things you can do and spend 80 percent of your time working on those things. This is an application of the Pareto Principle, which states that 80 percent of your results are produced by 20 percent of the things you do. This forces you to focus on the priorities, leaving many of the less important items undone.

THOSE LASER DAYS OF SUMMER

Jennifer White, a success coach and author of, Work Less, Make More (John Wiley & Sons, 1999) suggests dividing the week into Laser Days, Support Days and Free Days. Laser Days are devoted exclusively to high priority, high pay-off activities, ignoring telephone calls and e-mail unless they are related to the priority that you’re working on. Support Days involve the necessary administrative tasks, meetings, telephone calls and work generated during the Laser Days. Free Days are strictly for relaxation, recreation, hobbies, families and friends. There are business coaches who advocate similar action and many entrepreneurs who testify that they have increased revenue substantially using this approach.