Solving the Right Problems

by Howard Adams and Tammy Adams

It's Tuesday morning, still dark. Monday has passed and already you feel behind. The parking lot is empty. Perfect. You can get some real work done before the barrage begins. As you sip your first cup of office coffee (too bad Starbucks doesn't open this early), you start the routine. First, review your calendar for the day. It's light, but that will change by 9 am. Next, check e-mail: 45 new messages since yesterday -- not bad. The challenge: make it through the e-mails without interruption. You read, review, respond, file, and delete, seemingly ad infinitum. As you're working through message number 33, another directive that all departments are to reduce their budgets by 5%, there's a knock at the door. Wait, what time is it? Surely no one is here yet. But there's Kathy, your assistant, poking her head in the door with an isn't-this-a-great-day smile. Maybe you should've locked the door. She wants to chat for a few minutes. Nothing serious, nothing business-related. But what about those e-mails? And you haven't even looked at the intraoffice or external mail yet. Maybe Kathy can do that. You take a deep breath, chide yourself for your internal impatience, and turn your back to the computer for some personal time with Kathy. The day has officially begun.