How Branson Organizes
It doesn't take much for a manager to get caught up in the endless situations that happen throughout the day and get overwhelmed by the feeling of helplessness, while feeling the growing pressure of the weight upon them.
The problem arises from not having some type of general organziation for the day. With that I mean that we need to know what we are going to work on and needs to be done for that particular day.
A day of management will normally have all the usual unexpected things happen that must be taken care of on the spot. Those can't be planned for, but they can take you away from other things that must be done. We can resolve that pressure by having an organizational plan.
This is the simple tool Branson uses:
"I have always lived my life by making lists - lists of people to call, lists of ideas, lists of companies to set up, list of people who can make things happen. Each day I work through these lists, and that sequence of calls propels me forward."
The pressure that is on a manager deals with the subjective versus the objective. A list is objective and known. It must be planned and continually worked on. The subjective is the unknown that is spontaneous and we have no way of predicting. Even while we take care of the subjective, we must continually work on the objective; in this case a list of the various things that needs to be taken care of no matter what happens throughout the day.
A list is a simple tool that that serves as a reminder in the middle of the day's activity - and as Branson says - "propels me forward." Without a list or some tool that we can use as a reminder and encouragement that we're going forward, we can get caught up in the endless daily challenges that fight against progress.
Effective managers know that the two will always exist side-by-side, and they must have a strategy to keep going forward while they deal with everyday solving of problems. Lists are one great, simple and effective way to do it.
Other Branson Sources:
Richard Branson conquered the world. Now he wants to fly you to space.
OPEN LETTER TO GEOFF DIXON FROM RICHARD BRANSON
Richard Branson's: Losing My Virginity
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