A task-focused person starts with the list of tasks, timelines, and objectives, moving on to inter-personal connection if and when time allows.
Managing projects on the job was different because people are different and Kelly was struggling with the personal issues that get in the way of the work. The coach Kelly chose to hire heard the way Kelly described the problems and recognized how Kelly prioritizes.
Tips for Recognizing the Task-focused:
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Believe in getting right to work
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Prefer to focus on the task
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Discuss action items first
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Process is important
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Decisions are driven by logic
Tips for Coaching the Task-focused:
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Ask about their ‘to do’ list
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Ask about what they know and what they want to find out
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Ask their timeline
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Ask who will help them and who they will help
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Ask to sort priorities in to short, mid, and long term
The coach asked Kelly about workplace goals and timelines. The coach asked Kelly to identify efficiencies and time wasters. The coach asked Kelly how staff would identify efficiencies and time wasters, and Kelly believed the staff would describe them differently. The coach asked Kelly the pros and cons of using time in areas different staff find useful. Kelly decided to have the staff manage their timeline for a project to see how it works. Initially people on the staff were unsure of this new freedom; with time they accepted it and outlined their process. During this process Kelly and the coach debriefed, brainstormed, and planned. Kelly discovered the new approach worked in a different way and now continues to flex to different styles to get results.
