Managing Chaos: Tools to Set Priorities and Make Decisions Under Pressure

How to manage more effectively in a constantly changing environment
Learn to transform unproductive confusion and disorder into controllable challenges. This seminar equips you with fast, effective tools to plan your day and adjust to shifting priorities and demands—with less stress and greater clarity. You'll leave knowing how to apply the appropriate techniques to alleviate, clarify and eliminate chaos within your control.

Also Available as:

• Live Online
• Onsite

How You Will Benefit

• Reduce, clarify and eliminate chaos within your control
• Identify, analyze and determine priority of your workday
• Use a daily action plan to allocate time and energy
• Remain focused and act more decisively when priorities shift
• Become more assertive and strategic in your communication
• Manage interruptions and conflicts with greater ease
• Utilize the right tools to balance and manage tough choices

What You Will Cover

• Define chaos you can control
• Critical thinking and problem-solving tools to make tough decisions
• Identify good decision-making considerations
• Assess problems before rushing to solution
• Management issues: planning, workload resources and micromanaging
• How to manage changing priorities and shifting demands
• Understand proactive vs. reactive work approach; time managers vs. priority managers
• Analyze and negotiate how you spend your time
• Employ assertive responses in all situations
• Effectively decline requests from managers, peers and customers
• People issues: how to manage different viewpoints and personalities

Extended Seminar Outline

Print this page Extended Seminar Outline Seminar #2261 Learning Objectives
· Define the Chaos That You Can Control
• Make Decisions Based Upon a Multifaceted Analysis of the Problem
• Determine the Order of Tasks Based on Importance and Urgency
• Practice Assertive Communication to Manage Shifting Priorities
• Identify 1 to 2 Tools That are Most Applicable to Your Situation

Welcome to Chaos
• Determine the Impact Organizational Challenges Have on Both Managers and Employees
• Select the Sources of Chaos That Managers and Employees Can Reduce
Clarify or Eliminate

Problem Solving
• Generate Multiple, Creative Ideas Quickly
• Identify the Real/Root Cause of a Problem or Issue
• Organize a Large Number of Ideas into Natural Groupings in Order to
Understand a Problem
• Choose a Tool to Address Case Study Chaos

Priority Planning and Decision Making
• Analyze Four Aspects of a Situation or Team Capability as a Way to Determine Priorities
• Identify How to Close the Gap between the Current Situation/Problem and the Desired Situation/Solution
• Evaluate Risk with the Use of Three Questions
• Use the Priority Matrix to Determine Activities to Support Your Decision

Planning Daily Work
• Establish a Daily Plan for Completion of the Most Important Priorities
• Accurately Estimate How Long It Takes to Do Things
• Differentiate between “Necessary” vs. Unnecessary Interruptions

Communication Skills for Managing Chaos
• Define Assertive and Strategic Communication
• Respond Assertively and Strategically When Priorities Shift or Conflict
• Develop an “I” Statement to Use When Provoked or When Presented with a
Difficult Situation
• Complete a Task Despite Changes, Interruptions and Chaos

Who Should Attend

Anyone facing shifting priorities, expanding workloads, tight deadlines, organizational restructuring, multiple projects and increased uncertainty.

Special Feature

This Seminar Features Blended Learning

AMA Blended Learning combines instructor-led training with online pre- and post-seminar assessments, tune-up courses and other resources to maximize your training goals. Through a blend of proven instructor-led seminars and powerful online technology, AMA Blended Learning provides a compelling and more comprehensive experience for the learner—producing a greater return-on-investment for the employer and the seminar participant