Are you overwhelmed, burning out or burning up? Learn the secret that world-class athletes and top CEOs apply to not only get more done in less time but actually enjoy the tasks set before them. The issues discussed in this practical seminar can actually reverse your slide into mediocrity and dissatisfaction. A MUST for anyone who wishes to become more valuable to their company.

1. Busyness is
Not Good
Business
How to Accomplish More
by Doing Less
Frank Margulis, President
www.MarginConsultants.com
KMESA Fall Conference 2010

2. What If …
• You could get more done
in less time?
• Have less stress?
• Potentially make more
money?
www.MarginConsultants.com 2

3. www.MarginConsultants.com 3

4. Stress in the Workplace
• 80% of workers report feeling stress
on the job
• Nearly half report needing help to
manage stress
• 42% say their co-workers need such
help
Source: Attitudes in the American workplace VI, Gallup Poll
sponsored by the Marlin Company, 2000 annual report.
www.MarginConsultants.com 4

5. Stress in the Workplace
14% of respondents had felt like striking a
coworker in the past year, but didn't
Source: Attitudes in the American workplace VI,
Gallup Poll sponsored by the Marlin Company,
2000 annual report.
www.MarginConsultants.com 5

6. www.MarginConsultants.com 6

7. Stress in the Workplace
25% have felt like screaming or shouting
because of job stress
10% are concerned about an individual at work
they fear could become violent
Source: Attitudes in the American workplace VI, Gallup Poll
sponsored by the Marlin Company, 2000 annual report.
www.MarginConsultants.com 7

8. www.MarginConsultants.com 8

9. Stress in the Workplace
9% are aware of an assault or violent act in their
workplace
18% had experienced some sort of threat or
verbal intimidation in the past year.
Source: Attitudes in the American workplace VI, Gallup Poll
sponsored by the Marlin Company, 2000 annual report.
www.MarginConsultants.com 9

10. Stress in the Workplace
Percentage of workers who report their job is
“very or extremely stressful”: 40%
Source: Northwestern National Life
Northwestern National Life Insurance Company [1991].
Employee burnout: America’s newest epidemic.
Minneapolis, MN: Northwestern National Life
Insurance Company.
www.MarginConsultants.com 10

11. Stress in the Workplace
Percentage of workers who report they are
“often or very often burned out or stressed
by their work”: 26%
Source: Families and Work Institute
Bond JT, Galinsky E, Swanberg JE [1998]. The 1997 national study of the
changing workforce. New York, NY: Families and Work Institute.
www.MarginConsultants.com

12. Stress in the Workplace
Percentage of workers who report they feel
“quite a bit or extremely stressed at work”: 29%
Source: Yale University, Barsade S, Wiesenfeld B, The Marlin Company
[1997]. Attitudes in the American workplace III. New Haven, CT
Yale University School of Management.
www.MarginConsultants.com 12

13. www.MarginConsultants.com 13

14. The American Dream
“The opportunity to have a nice
home, financial security for you and your
family, and hope for the future.”
As defined by a poll conducted in May 2008
by Zogby International for
The Marlin Company
www.MarginConsultants.com 14

15. Is the dream alive?
• 74.7% say the American dream is not as
attainable today as it was eight years ago
• 52.4% say it is simply unattainable for the
average American
Source: Poll conducted in May 2008 by Zogby
International for The Marlin Company
www.MarginConsultants.com 15

16. If you think this is a good idea …
… you’re too busy.
www.MarginConsultants.com 16

17. Objectives
At the end of this session, you will be able to
• Define “busyness” conceptually and personally
• Understand the concept of “margin”
• Conceive and implement specific strategies to
combat busyness and improve
personal productivity
www.MarginConsultants.com 17

18. Busyness Defined
• Constant motion, limited production
• The “I’ll get to it later” stack of stuff
www.MarginConsultants.com 19

19. Busyness Defined
• The work that lands on your desk but has very
little to do with real productivity
• Being pressed to the limit
as defined by:
• Culture
–Business
»Others
www.MarginConsultants.com 20

20. How much of the work on your desk …
… adds to the company’s bottom line?
www.MarginConsultants.com 21

21. Busyness: How Did This Happen?
• When you began your job …
– “I will do what it takes to get the job done.”
• Natural and necessary in the beginning to demonstrate
competency, but …
• As the company grows, if you continue in this mode you
will diminish your own productivity
• Over time, your competency will suffer and be
apparent to others
www.MarginConsultants.com 22

22. Busyness: How Did This Happen?
• FACT: no one can do everything excellently
• REALITY: you are very good at a few things
• CONSIDER: of all the things you are asked to
do, how many of them really make a
difference to the company’s bottom line?
23

23. Busyness: How Did This Happen?
• TREND: as the company grows, the tendency is
to add more things to your “to do” list
• PROBLEM: the additional weight impairs
performance
www.MarginConsultants.com 24

24. The Remedy
• FOCUS: play to your strengths, delegate your weaknesses
• GOAL: marry your skill set (the one or two things you do very
well) with the one or two things in your job description that
will make a difference in the company
• REALITY CHECK: this is a goal, a target to shoot for over time
and with help
25

25. Limits
We all have limits. Do you know yours?
Cultivate productivity by establishing “margin”.
www.MarginConsultants.com 26

26. Margin
The difference between your load and your limits
www.MarginConsultants.com 27

27. Margin
Ample
space
among
the
vehicles
on the
road
www.MarginConsultants.com 28

28. Margin
The roominess of first class compared to coach
www.MarginConsultants.com 29

29. Margin
Money left over
at the end of the
month
www.MarginConsultants.com 30

30. Margin
“Space” enjoyed by a nice vacation from
the press of the crowd
www.MarginConsultants.com 31

31. Start Mining
• What defines success for the person in my
position at work?
– Write it down
– Ask your supervisor to write it down (Ask,
“If I don’t get anything else done, what 1 or
2 things add value to the company from my
position?”)
www.MarginConsultants.com 32

32. Start Sculpting
• Write your ideal job description
– Success for the person in your position
– The mission of the organization
– Your individual skill set (what you were
designed to do)
www.MarginConsultants.com 33

33. The Plan
• Make an appointment with your immediate
supervisor
“I want to see this company succeed. I think I have
figured out a way to make us succeed better. Here is
what you said ‘success’ is, here is the mission of the
company, and here is what I am good at. Would you be
willing to work me into this job description because I
think I can add more value to the company?”
www.MarginConsultants.com 34

34. The Million Dollar Question*
• Ask your boss, “What would you like me to stop doing?
We both know these 4 things are what move the
company forward, these 8 things don’t. I would like
more time to focus on what makes a difference.”
*Easier to broach if you have a good relationship with your boss
www.MarginConsultants.com 35

35. Employees
• Do
– Seek the counsel of appropriate others
– Make an appeal, not a demand
– Be patient, take the long view
• Do not
– Circumvent the authority of your immediate
supervisor
36

36. View From the Top
• A reasonable employer will think …
– “You have been trying to figure out how to make both
of us more successful.”
– “I can see, you have a dozen things to do but you’re
really not good at 8 of them, they just land on your
desk.”
www.MarginConsultants.com 37

37. View From the Top
– “We all have limits and this suggestion will make him
focused and therefore truly productive.”
– “If we can work toward this, everyone wins.”
– “I didn’t realize the attractive secretary convinced my
top sales rep to take phone messages 2 hours a day.”
www.MarginConsultants.com 38

38. Management
• Be proactive
–If you notice employees who have
‘dropped the ball’
• Take time to evaluate
–Overload?
www.MarginConsultants.com 39

39. If You Are An Employer
• It is not enough simply to have the right people. You must
have the right people doing the right things
• As you help your staff discover how to marry their skill sets
with what really needs to be done, the company will benefit
• If you will help your staff work
towards this, everyone wins
www.MarginConsultants.com 40

40. Illustration
• 2002, Tom Glavine, batting average .103
• Why no complaints?
• Same year, ERA 2.96
– Phenomenal pitcher, others can hit, focus on pitching
www.MarginConsultants.com 41

41. Summary
• Employers and Supervisors
– Review employee’s job description and consider
their strengths and weaknesses
• Trim their workload to play to their strengths: the 1, 2,
or possibly 3 things they do very well
• Delegate their weaknesses
www.MarginConsultants.com 42

42. Benefits of Delegating
• One employee’s weakness is another’s strength
– Advantages
• Gives another employee the chance to step up to the plate
• Reduces risk of production being affected by weaknesses
• Produces “margin” and happier,
more productive employees
www.MarginConsultants.com 43

43. Summary
• Employees
– Evaluate your job description, company mission,
and skill set
• Honestly evaluate your limitations – we all have
them
– Work respectfully with your
immediate supervisor
www.MarginConsultants.com 44

44. Summary
– Check your motivation (a ploy to redefine your
workload because of laziness will be detected)
– Goal: to make your immediate
supervisor successful
www.MarginConsultants.com 45

45. Conclusion
• Remember, establishing professional margin
will not happen today. It is a target to shoot
for, a goal to be attained over time with help
from others.
• For today: make the commitment to begin.
www.MarginConsultants.com 46

46. By The Way …
• First written account of professional “margin”
applied?
– 3400 years ago
• Exodus 18 – Moses
(you’re in good company)
www.MarginConsultants.com 47

47. Please complete your evaluation form. It has
been a pleasure being with you.
I wish you all the best.
If you have any questions, please contact me via my website
www.MarginConsultants.com 48