Bridges Edition of 11/7/2006

Welcome to Bridges, a monthly newsletter published by Robin Fogel, Executive and Career Coach & Consultant. My goal is that these newsletters include practical information that you can use in your work and in your life. If you enjoyed the newsletter please forward it to your colleagues, friends and family.

If you would like to take advantage of a business consultant or executive coach, please email me at robin@coachrobinfogel.com for a complimentary coaching session or visit my website - www.coachrobinfogel.com

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MULTITASKING
Last November I wrote about the interruption based workplace. Whether it is the workplace or life in general, our modern existence seems to demand that we get more done. Multitasking was originally praised as a way to accomplish more, a way that we could be more efficient. Recent scientific findings are now reaching the opposite conclusion; multitasking is not making us more productive, in fact it may be reducing productivity. A study by the American Psychological Association found that instead of helping, multitasking actually decreases productivity. Further the study found that the more complex the task, the longer the "recover" period for recouping time lost by switching tasks. It concluded that "multitasking may seem more efficient on the surface, but may actually take more time in the end." The researchers found that the reduction in productivity ranged from 20-40% over time. So, as you read this article if you are also checking your voicemail, talking to a co-worker or toggling between websites, remember that it's the ability to focus and complete one task at a time that will increase your productivity.

The late Peter Drucker, author of "The Effective Executive", once wrote, "To be effective, every knowledgeable worker, and especially every executive needs to dispose of time in fairly large chunks...to have small dribs and drabs of time at his disposal will not be sufficient even if the total is an impressive number of hours."

What can you do to focus and truly complete a task? Close your office door, turn off the email alert beeper on your computer.
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WORKPLACE NEWS
At many companies this is the time of year when performance reviews are done. While the original intent of this type of review was to improve performance, Watson Wyatt, the human resource consulting firm, found that only 3 in 10 employees believe that performance reviews actually improve performance. They believe that the modern performance review is about compensation and hiring issues. Because performance reviews are unlikely to disappear anytime soon, what can you do as an employer or employee to insure that you or those who work for you are receiving helpful, useful feedback that they can use to enhance their performance.

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CONSULTING/COACHING NOT FOR PROFITS EXECUTIVES
Over the past few years an expanding part of my business has been to work with executive directors and staff of not for profits, supporting them on issues such as board relations, staffing, and leadership development. If I can be of assistance to any organization you work with, I hope you'll consider recommending my services

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THANKS
November brings my favorite holiday of Thanksgiving and with it two of the things I love best - seeing my family and eating! It's also a great month for anyone with clients or customers to say thank you. Instead of waiting for the holiday rush at December, consider separating your business or company from the pack and send greetings of thanks for their business this past year.

For those of you that I've had the pleasure of working with or getting to know this past year - thank you. In my business I work with some of the most amazing folks and I truly appreciate having that opportunity. Happy Thanksgiving.

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FINAL THOUGHT
What we're really talking about is a wonderful day set aside on the fourth Thursday of November when no one diets. I mean, why else would they call it Thanksgiving?
-Erma Bombeck
COPYRIGHT: 2006, Robin Fogel & Assoc., LLC. All Rights Reserved. May be distributed and reprinted in its entirety with copyright, subscription instructions, and contact information intact. However, you may not copy it to a website.