The Secret of Getting Ahead is Getting Started

The road to success is not a straight line, but a winding one with many hills and valleys. Sometimes you may feel like you’re stuck at a particular plateau for an extended period of time. Keeping your spirits high and continuing to push forward can be challenging, but there are ways to keep moving up that hill. In order to get ahead and stay ahead in your career, you need to find ways of getting started on new projects or tasks more quickly than before. The secret of getting ahead is getting started -- even when it feels hard to do so. If you need help getting started in your next job, check out the following tips on how to get started faster and more efficiently whenever you’re faced with a new task or project:

Make a game plan before you start

Planning your work before you get started will help you get more done in less time. Rather than diving in head-first and hoping for the best, you’ll have a clear path towards meeting your goals. If you have a large project coming up, break it down into smaller, more manageable chunks. Be specific about what you’ll need to accomplish and by when. This makes it much easier to stay on track and get your work done in a timely fashion. If you have a more immediate task that you need to knock out now, make a checklist so you don’t forget anything. Checklists often get a bad rap, but they have been proven to help people stay more organized and productive. A checklist can be as simple as identifying the task you need to complete and the materials you’ll need to do it. This will help you stay focused and on task as you complete your work.

Define your key tasks before you start

Break down the big picture of what you need to do into smaller, manageable chunks. It’s not uncommon for people to feel overwhelmed when they’re faced with a large project. By breaking up the project into smaller, more manageable tasks, you can take off some of the pressure and feel less overwhelmed by the big picture. When you’re starting a new project, ask yourself: What are the big, key tasks I need to accomplish to get this project done? On a piece of paper, write down the key tasks you need to complete. Once you have your key tasks defined, break them down into smaller, bite-sized chunks. Now you have your to-do list in order of priority -- making it easier to get started and stay on track.

Use the “two-minute” rule before you start

The next time you have a to-do item that’s been sitting on your list for too long, try this trick: Work on the task for two minutes. After two minutes, no matter how much you’ve accomplished, stop. This rule applies to email as well. When you receive an email that requires action, work on it for two minutes before you decide to send or delete it. Once you’ve worked on the task for two minutes, you’ll have a better idea of how much time it’ll take to complete. The two-minute rule has been proven to help people stay more focused and efficient. After working on a task for two minutes, you’ll have a much better idea of how much time it will take to complete it. If you’re not certain how long it will take you to accomplish a task, estimate the amount of time you think it will take to get it done. This will help you stay focused and on track.

Find your triggers to get started faster

When you’re staring down a big project or task, it can be easy to put it off. While it’s important to be organized and ready to take on new challenges, it’s also important to get started on time. If you have a tendency to put off starting a particular project or task, find a trigger that will help you get started sooner. This trigger could be related to your environment, schedule, or even your work space. For example, if you find it hard to get started on that report due on Friday, try getting it done on Thursday so it’s out of the way. Find your triggers and incorporate those into your daily routine so you can get started faster on your work and reach your goals.

Conclusion

Getting ahead in your career starts with getting started -- especially when challenges arise. The key to getting started more quickly is to make a game plan, define your key tasks, use the “two-minute” rule, find your triggers, and then get started.

Strategies for Dealing With Difficult Stakeholders

HOW TO DEAL WITH DIFFICULT STAKEHOLDERS?

Ever been through these questions?

1. “This isn’t what we wanted!”

2. “No, you have to do it this way.”

3. “When it fails, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

4. “We won’t change just because you have something new now.”

Never? Don’t worry you will soon. This just means you should be ready with strategies for dealing amicably with them, and for continuing to work on the project despite possible roadblocks.

Learn from the CygniSoft's expertise in dealing with tough stakeholders. Here is an important reminder and four tips to help you survive difficult stakeholders in the future — no matter what they do — and turn the situation around for the good of the project.

An Important Reminder: Don’t Burn Bridges

Always keep reminding yourself that stakeholders also want the project to succeed. However, their stance may change as the project proceeds. There will be days when they will support you, and the next day they might argue when work isn't being done in a particular way. Know that they are not switching sides- in the end, it is project success and not a war between YOU vs THEM.

Don’t take resistance personally and remember that business is a business. No matter what, you cannot burn your bridges and dismiss the difficult ones just because they like they’re blocking your work from getting done. You should find a way to work with them (or around them) and defuse the situation.

Now with that important bit over, let’s get to the tips for dealing with those people you love to hate.

SOME OF THE STRATEGIES FOR DEALING WITH DIFFICULT STAKEHOLDERS

1. IDENTIFY AND KEEP THEM CLOSE

This should be an ongoing action on your part. Like we say, an active champion might become a roadblock overnight. But if you’re monitoring your stakeholders’ email messages or comments on the latest status reviews, you’ll know when the tide is turning. In fact, ensuring communication channels are always open may even serve to head off some possible negativity.

2. LISTEN TO WHAT THEY ARE SAYING

Don’t close off communication channels just because you don’t like what you’re hearing. Try to see where they’re coming from and put yourself in their shoes. This way, you can better understand their motivation and goals.

Put efforts into understanding their point of view. And if what they’re saying is frustrating, ask yourself: Are their needs opposed to your project’s objectives? Do they simply want things done a different way? See if you can meet on common ground.

3. HAVE an ONE-ON-ON MEETING

Find a way to meet with difficult stakeholders individually. This way they don’t feel like they’re being put on the spot with other stakeholders as an audience — it might help take them off the defensive so you can communicate calmly. It’s important to take this time to get their viewpoint and what they feel could be a solution to the problem. Note: don’t just come out and ask why they aren’t supportive of your plan. Instead, ask an open-ended question about their opinion and how they feel the project is coming along.

4. DETERMINE THEIR MOTIVATIONS

The only way to come to a solution or even just to contain the situation is to figure out what’s causing their sudden resistance. Are they worried about going over the budget? Anxious that the project isn’t turning out exactly how they envisioned it? Are they answering to a board of directors perhaps, who may have a different point of view on the project? If you can help address the underlying motivations behind their resistance you might be able to create a win/win situation and continue, despite difficulties.

When you are able to successfully manage your stakeholders by listening to them and meeting their needs along the course of a project, then they will feel more comfortable being trusting and supportive of your methods. Your job then is to determine their motivations and expectations to create the best situation for everyone involved.

Have you ever dealt with a difficult project stakeholder? What did you do to diffuse the situation? Hit the comments and tell us your tales! We’d love to learn from you.